The Burning Mines
by Gaaras-Gothic-Ninja-Sappy-Sue
Summary: Sasuke left his fiancé Naruto in Konoha County to make something of himself in the City of Sound. He's forced to come back when he receives an invitation to the late mayor's funeral, and is surprised to find that he may still have feelings for the blonde...only it seems Naruto has eyes for a certain outlaw instead. SasuNaru GaaNaru. Rated M.
1. Home Sweet Home

**Important Note**: This story is loosely based on the movie Sweet Home Alabama (I've never seen it), and very much inspired by the FF. _Sweet Home Sasukebama_ by Ladelle and _The Outlaw _by bleakdesolation. The one line that spurred this story for real however, was this line from Ladelle's story: "_Naruto had never been this clean before._" I don't know why but when I read that line I got this whole idea of a Naruto Gaara Sasuke Alabama love triangle ._.

**Warnings**: Intentional spelling errors. You'll know they're intentional if they appear more than once. Those mistakes are (poor) efforts to capture old-country accents. I apologize in advance if – no, _when_ – I butcher it.

**The Burning Mines**

**I. **Home Sweet Home

* * *

Sasuke couldn't help the grim curl that fell on his lips when he stepped onto the platform of the leaving train. He closed his eyes and breathed in the clear air, which was one thing he would admit this place had over Sound. He stood there, appreciating it for as long as he could before he could stand to open his eyes again.

And there it was. Konoha County. Vast plains of dirt, dirt, and more dirt.

Sasuke sighed. What had he gotten himself into?

He saw a lone tumbleweed somersault tragically with the winds, he saw the water-pump that led to the county reservoir he knew too well, and he saw the small array of timid houses and trees in the far distance. There wasn't much he could see beyond that. Back in the city one couldn't _stop_ seeing things. But here, things began, and then they ended. Just like that and there was nothing left to see.

The wind was harsh as it whisked against his suit. He could feel tiny rocks hit his jacket sleeves, and sting the side of his face. He winced and wiped his mouth. It had been a long time since he'd been in this kind of weather: the bitter heat, where strong winds carried hot dirt.

It took him a minute of just staring at the vast plainness before he finally fiddled for the letter he hid in his pocket and unfolded it to do a once over at the contents. Hopefully it would clear his mind and remind him why he was here in the first place.

_Sarutobi has died. His funeral's on Saturday, May 15__th__. He would like it if you came._

The man in the suit snorted again at the letter. He knew Kakashi, his old teacher, must have given the address to his place in city. It was the only way they would have found a way to contact him. He would have a word with the old man about that later. There was no signature, so it was probably a letter of mass produce. He knew he could count on his hometown to make something so grand turn out so simple. Sarutobi might have just been the greatest man to have ever step foot in the dingy little town, and his memorial service card consisted of one line, in the flimsy little paper the local printing press could afford to produce by the masses.

Sasuke sighed.

But who was he kidding? It wasn't the dinginess of the county, or the plains of dirt putting him on edge. The real reason why he dreaded coming here was because he was no doubt going to see _him_ again. The man he'd left behind to find a better life. His _fiancé_.

Sasuke straightened himself and slicked his hair back. Enough of that. The last thing this place was going to do was make him regret the decisions he'd made. He was going to spend a week here, face up to the town, attend the funeral, and return to the good life he'd made for himself. But for now—

A horn honked and he looked up to find an old pick up truck in front of the platform. A familiar face waved at him from inside. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Mr. Bigshot come to grace us with his presence."

Sasuke sighed and shook his head resignedly as he made his way towards Kakashi, his old mentor's, car. He plopped his large suitcase into the back end of the pick up truck and brought his office case with him to the passenger seat. He took one forlorn look at the deserted train platform before he entered the vehicle, and his eyes landed on the metal rusted sign that stood at the very edge of it, millimeters from where the train would pass. And there, barely visible under the rusted sign, were the words _Konoha County_.

Sasuke sighed.

Home sweet home.

* * *

"Four hundred an' _twelve_ applicants!?" Naruto exclaimed, looking back at his friend incredulously.

Shikamaru nodded his head, looking grimly at the stack of papers in his hand. "And they don't even include the ones that applied by mail."

Naruto looked with him with wide eyes. "That's impossible. I can't get through this many people all in one day…" he whispered in wonder. Half of him, the one that couldn't wipe the constant grin on his face, was excited there as many people willing to work this year. This was the first year he was taking charge of the mines.

Shikamaru shrugged, looking wearily at the large crowd of men before them. A tired frown was on his face, and he would have smacked the blonde for the grin he had on if they weren't in such a public place. "Kiba and I will be here to help." He replied. "And the wife said she might be over here after her shift at the diner to help out."

Naruto shook his head slowly, still looking out into the gathering of potential workers. They were all just standing around, loitering the open space either talking to each other or minding their own. "Well, we don't need this many." The blonde said plainly. "I don't think we've _ever_ had this many turn up before…" He'd been present at the hiring process of mining season every year, and the amount of men that crowded the dirt field just beyond the mining grounds was at least twice over that of the previous years.

His spiky haired friend rubbed one shoulder and closed his eyes. "You know how the economy is. Ain't nothin' out there for nobody. The mines are the only work they can get these days."

Naruto had the decency to let his grin falter a bit, but Shikamaru could still see it behind the firm line on the man's lips. "Well a lot of these folks are lookin' to be severely disappointed. There's only space for a hundred. We don't need four hundred an' _twelve_ miners."

Shikamaru shrugged again, before pointing to a young boy in the crowd. "See that?" he asked quietly. "They get younger an' younger too."

"We'll be sure to eliminate the young-ins first. The mines ain't no place for a kid."

"_You_ were a kid when you started." Shikamaru said, looking at Naruto with the edge of a smile.

Said blonde smirked back at him and waved a hand. "Well, I done learned my lesson. And damned iffen I don't teach these guys one too." He replied simply, turning to face the crowd once more.

"What do you me—"

"All right, fellas!" he shouted, cutting his friend off. Gradually, the conversations stopped and everyone turned to look at him.

Naruto smiled. "Let me start by saying, good _mornin'_." He gave a small bow. When the men only looked at him, he cleared his throat. "Well?" he asked. He received a chorused mumble of half-hearted good-mornings. "That's much better."

He heard Shikamaru sigh behind him but he only continued to grin. "Now as you can see, a lot of you turned up today," he started, still keeping his voice strident. "And I'm afraid we have less than half the space on the scale of all you fellas showin' up, so we got to make cuts even before we get to the interviews!"

There were a few shouts and angry fists thrown in the air.

Naruto raised sympathetic hands but never lost his smile. "I know, I know…But if everyone under _eighteen_ could please leave the premises, I would gladly appreciate—"

Even before the blonde could finish, the crowd erupted in an uproar.

"Now hold on one, _damn_ second—!"

"I didn't travel all the way here for you to tell me I'm too young—!"

"We need work, damn it! Can't get nothin' nowhere but here—!"

"Now listen here!" said Shikamaru, coming up from behind Naruto. "We don't have space for all of you, so we've got to make some _cuts_—"

"Cut all the old men then! They can't work like we can—!"

"Whatchu tryin' t'say, boy!" yelled someone else from the crowd. And another angry group of grown men joined him.

"All right, all _right_!" said Naruto raising a hand. He looked more exasperated than worried. "If that's the way you want it, then everyone under eighteen _and_ everyone over forty can hightail it outta here!"

The blonde only laughed when the crowd got wilder and angrier.

"I ain't changin' my mind!" he yelled, almost playfully. "Now if ya'll don't leave right away—" he was cut off when a large hand came forward and grabbed him by the collar.

"Imma _make_ you change yer mind, little fell—" the large man who'd grabbed his collar was cut off by two loud gunshots to the air. He let go quickly and scrambled backwards into the crowd.

Naruto turned around with a loud sigh. "Kiba, you know I hate it when you shoot that thing." He said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Said man stood behind him with a grin so wide it was a wonder his eyes could fit on his face.

"You know I'm always here to help you, Toad." he said shaking his head. "Didn't look like you had much of a handle on that situation there."

Naruto gave him the finger and turned back to the crowd. He wasn't surprised when they'd moved back a few yards as a whole. He sighed. "I'm gon' say it again. Under eighteen, out. Over forty, out. Now git."

There was a tense silence for the longest time, before a young man screamed 'fuck you!' and turned to leave the premises angrily. That was the precedent for the rest it seemed. Suddenly, a chunk of the crowd was moving, grumbling under their breaths, and stalking away.

"Don't fret, fellas! There's a nice little town right next door with jobs you can apply for—"

"You know just as much as I do that that can't be further from the truth, Naruto." Shikamaru whispered harshly, into his ear.

Naruto turned to him with a half-glare. "You can't make people lose _hope_, Shika. If you do that, they'll give up everything, and that's the worst thing you can see in a person. You know that."

The man looked like he was going to protest, but seemed to think better of it and let out a tired breath. "You sound just like Sarutobi."

Naruto's smile faded so fast, the spiky haired man winced.

"Sorry."

Naruto shook his head. "No, no." he said quietly, turning back to the crowd. "It's a compliment, right?"

Even without the blonde facing him, Shikamaru knew Naruto was carrying that sad smile he wore to mask his real emotions.

He was about to say something again, when the blonde surprised him by shouting. "All right fellas! Can I have the rest of you make three lines in front of me, and my two buddies here. Try to make those lines even, will ya?" he said, pointing to Shikamaru and Kiba. He bowed then, but with his loose and easy way of doing it Shikamaru knew it could be mistaken for a curtsy any day.

There was shuffling, and Naruto turned to look back at his friends, sadness gone. "Well?" he said. "Pull out a desk and interview these poor bastards!" he said with a laugh, getting behind his own desk. "Fifty each." He said when he sat down.

Kiba nodded his head, but Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "Fifty each? That's fifty more jobs than you said was available."

The blonde shrugged and gave the man a dazzling smile. "Well, I'm feeling generous, today."

Shikamaru shook his head with a small smile. "Too generous for your own good." He mumbled to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Naruto. Nothing at all. Can I have the first man up, please?"

* * *

"Well. Here we are."

Sasuke gave himself a moment before he turned to the side to face the house on the side of the road.

It looked just as it did seven years ago. Small. Quaint. He and Naruto had built it with their own two hands. They'd had some help from friends but it was really him and the blonde that did all the work. Timeless perfection, he'd said, when they finished building it.

How wrong he was, he thought, as he stared at it. Now it just looked like a run-down sort of thing, especially compared to the estates he'd lived in in the past years.

"You going in?" Kakashi asked, startling him.

Sasuke blinked. "Do you think he's home?" he asked.

"Doubt it." replied Kakashi. "Everyone's at the mining field. He's in charge of hiring this year."

That made Sasuke turn to stare at his old teacher incredulously. "He's in charge of _hiring_? How the hell did that happen?"

The grey haired man chuckled. "Oh, we all knew it was going to happen. Naruto was the best choice."

Sasuke tried to imagine Naruto, the epitome of irresponsibility, leading the chaos that was hiring miners for the oil season, and couldn't. "It's probably a disaster over there, then." He said.

Kakashi shook his head. "Nah. Wouldn't be surprised if we get the best workers in the history of Konoha Mining this year. That's how much confidence I have in Toad."

Sasuke made a face. _Toad_. He'd always hated the nicknames this town made up for everyone. Naruto was Toad, and he was Snake, named after his crazy uncle Orochimaru - nicknamed Serpent - who was in jail for sexual assault.

"Well? You going in or not?"

Sasuke looked at the house apprehensively. "I'll put my bags inside. Then I want you to take me to the mining fields so I can see the spectacle for myself."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Why would you want to do that? I thought you would've wanted to stay as far away from him as possible."

The raven-haired man shrugged his shoulders. "I ruined all chances of that when I decided I would live with him instead of buy a room in a hotel."

"Why didn't you then?" His old teacher asked, looking at him with sad eyes. "You're only hurting Naruto by showing your face around here. You know that."

Sasuke glared ahead of him. "I'm not going to _pay_ to stay in this dump of a town. I'd rather hurt someone else than spend my hard earned money on something so insignificant."

For a moment the grey haired man looked at Sasuke with wide-eyes before he shook his head. " Harsh words coming from someone who owes so much." He said, looking back at the road ahead. "It was Naruto's idea to send you the invitation, you know. He stifled down his anger towards me and went so far as to ask me where you lived. You best believe he'll be the only one who welcomes you around here. Saying stuff like that won't get you your old friends back. And you know that. That's why you didn't ask any of the others if they'd accept you into their homes."

"I'm not _looking_ to get old friends back." Sasuke replied seriously. " And what hate for you are you talking about?" He shook his hand before the older man could answer, looking exasperated. "Forget I asked. I'm just here to pay my respects and get the hell out of here. I don't need any drama in between."

"Is that so? You don't think something's going happen from you just being here? And are you really going to sit here and tell me hurting Naruto wasn't part of your agenda?"

Sasuke turned to Kakashi with a glare. "What are you trying to say?"

Kakashi sighed. "Look at you Sasuke. The funeral isn't in a week, and you've decided to move in with the man you left stranded here alone and by himself six years ago. And you could have asked to live with _me_, but instead you're dropping by unexpectedly at Naruto's house. It looks to me like you want him to notice you, and get depressed all over aga—"

"The only reason why I'm here so early is because the next train to this town wouldn't make it to the funeral on time." He hissed into the man's face. "I would never stay here longer than I have to. And I already told you my reasons for not buying a hotel room."

Kakashi sighed and turned away. "Whatever your reasons," he started quietly, "you know that while you're here, you'll be hurting him."

Sasuke didn't reply.

Kakashi visibly hesitated before he spoke again. "When you left…he…" he started quietly. "…he was _devastated_, Sasuke. He didn't cry, or shout. Didn't start cursing you and your ambitions. He just caved in on himself. _Died_ inside himself. Then he started developing a few bad habits and…"

"Bad habits?"

Kakashi raised a dismissing hand. "We just don't need you back here, to put him through that again. Not when he's just starting to get better."

Sasuke stared ahead for the longest time, before he scoffed and stepped out of the vehicle. "That was six years ago." He mumbled. "When I see him I'll tell him to get over it. That's why I'm here, why I'm staying at his house. I'm going to say goodbye properly this time."

Kakashi stared at the younger man, before he shook his head. "But is this really the _right_ way, Sasuke?"

Sasuke stared at his old mentor for a long time, his eyes narrowing and widening in thought. Finally he pulled back and shook his head, resigned. "Wait here." he said suddenly, as he went round back and picked up his bags from the tail end of the pick-up truck.

He took his stuff out and dragged his luggage to the steps of the house. He wasn't at all surprised to see the front door left ajar, and the same mat from seven years ago that said "Welcome Neighbor". He rolled his eyes and pushed inside the house.

When he was inside, he dropped his bags haphazardly onto the floor and took in his surroundings.

And then he sneezed.

He wiped his nose with a growl and his eyes widened a bit at what he saw. The house wasn't a mess per se. It just looked…abandoned. There was dust everywhere, from the brunette could see. Especially at the living room area, where two familiar couches stood facing each other, with a small coffee table separating them. The wood on the walls looked old, and the furniture looked thrifty. Sasuke was beginning to rethink deciding to live in his ex's place…

No, Sasuke thought, huffing and slicking his hair back. He wasn't going to let this bother him. It was going to be a pain living in a dump for a week, but he could handle it knowing that luxury awaited him when it was all over.

He stopped staring at the home and pushed his things further to the side so he could step out of the house and actually close the door behind him.

He walked back to Kakashi leisurely and stepped inside the truck the same way. "Let's go."

* * *

End of Chapter

**Authors Note:**

Drama on the way, maybe? Next chapter Gaara will be introduced. Chapter two and three are already written. So expect the next one exactly two weeks from today. I really hope you guys like this. I'm still not sure how the pairings are going to end up: SasuNaru? GaaNaru? I suppose it'll depend on how the story progresses, and what my readers want. I hope you all enjoyed!

Tschüss.


	2. Some Kind a' Outlaw

**The Burning Mines**

**II**. _Some Kind a' Outlaw_

* * *

"You're kiddin' me, right?"

Naruto didn't even have to look at the application in front of him to know that everything written would be a lame lie to cover up the fact that the boy in front of him couldn't be more than fourteen years old.

"Listen, kid," he started with a tired sigh.

"Wait!" exclaimed the boy, leaning forwards in his seat. "Let me explain. Y'see I was born with this here condition that makes me look _younger_ than I really am, and...well..."

Naruto could barely keep the amusement off his face. "That so? Then how old are you?"

"Uh…Twenty-five?"

The blonde stared at the boy for exactly three seconds before he burst out laughing. "_Really_, now?" He threw his head back and laughed again. "I might have believed you if you'd said nineteen at _most_—but twenty _five_? And as a question? Who you tryna fool?"

The teen glared at him. "I ain't tryna fool nobody!" he insisted. "Please mister, I need this job! Pa's farm is gon' go outta business any time now and god damn it all to hell if we get kicked out of our own home!" he leaned forwards and took Naruto's hands in a desperate plea. "_Please_, mister. I need to help the family, and I'm the only one who can work. You _gotta_ give me the job, you just _gotta_—"

"All right, all right!" Naruto pulled his hands from the boy, who'd started tearing up. The last thing he wanted was another crier at his hands. Gosh, he was a real sucker for those types. "I'll give you _a_ job. Not _the_ job. Minin' still ain't no place for a kid."

The boy's eyes widened, looking grateful for one moment before they suddenly turned angry. "Ain't no, _kid_, mister. I done told you I'm twenty-five. I can work in the mines better an' all these other fellers can, I swear—"

"Yeah, yeah, I believe you." Naruto assured, waving a tired hand. "Just gimmie your name so I can put you on my list."

The boy looked like he wanted to say more, but he just sighed and nodded his head. "Konohamaru."

Naruto smiled at him as he wrote the name down. "That's the late mayor's first name. Good name your pa chose for you."

The boy shook his head. "Ma chose that name for me." His voice was quiet. "…She died. Last year."

With anyone else perhaps the boy would have gotten a hug or deeply pitying eyes. But with Naruto Konohamaru only recieved a small nod. He knew that pain, and he knew more than anyone that hugs and condolences didn't do much to lessen the pain. "Worst thing that could happen to a young boy." he offered. "Losin' a parent."

The boy only shrugged, but kept his head down.

Naruto let silence pass between them only for a few moments before he spoke again. "I need one more thing. How old are you?"

Konohamaru looked up cautiously. He opened his mouth, no doubt to lie again, but Naruto held up a hand.

"Kid." He began simply. "The truth."

The teen gave him a pained expression before he sighed and looked down. "Thirteen. Gon' be fourteen next week."

Naruto's eyes softened and he smiled. "Wasn't so hard now, was it? I've got the perfect job for you. Be back here at dawn. And don't call me mister. The name's Naruto."

The boy looked at him for longest time before he bowed low. "Thanks so much, mister!"

Naruto waved a hand and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." he said. "Get out of here. Don't be late!" he called after the boy when Konohamaru quite literally jumped out of the chair and ran off.

When the boy was out of sight, Naruto leaned back into his chair and yelled, "Next!" before turning to face Shikamaru whose desk was only a few yards from his own. The man was giving him a tired look, no doubt having seen what the blonde had just done.

"The kid couldn't have been more than sixteen, Naruto." He said.

Naruto gave the man a look of shock "You see, Shikamaru. That there is _ignorance_. You don't know about the disease that makes you look younger than you are? That fella right there was tweny-_five_."

Shikamaru gave the blonde a disgusted look before shaking his head and turning back around. Naruto laughed at him, loud and obnoxiously before he turned back to his own applicant.

"All right, let's start with your age. Then we can look through your appli..cation and..." Naruto had to stop when he looked up and actually saw the man before him. "Uhh…"

Green eyes stared back, neutral, but attentive. "Twenty-five."

Naruto just kept on staring. It was strange, the not foreign, but forgotten feeling that caressed the area just above his groin. He sighed out a soft breath, and slowly took in the man before him.

It was only when the said man cleared his throat lightly, that the blonde started upright and cleared his own throat. "Right, haha. " he began bashfully, shuffling papers aside. "Can I have your application please?"

The man, a redhead, handed the paper over. The blonde took it with surprisingly steady hands, and began to look it over.

"…Gaara Sabako, is it?" he asked, looking up at the redhead.

He received a nod.

Naruto laughed again, nervous for _no damn reason_, he thought angrily, and turned back to the application. He had to frown though, as he scrolled down at the contents. "Uh…mister, lots of these questions are blank."

When he looked up, the man looked slightly uncomfortable.

Naruto tried to raise an eyebrow, but he was too busy watching the small hints of emotion pass through the man's face. He was so…chiseled. Naruto didn't know what other word to use. It was as if someone took time to sculpt him, the same way the county took the time to sculpt the statue of the mayor in the middle of the county. He was angles where there should have been plush skin, and his eyes were almost overwhelmingly sharp on the count of his lack of eyebrows. Naruto had to raise his own at the redhead's lack of. Big arms were crossed over the man's chest, and wide, heavy shoulders rolled once before the man looked down and away.

"Mister…?" Naruto started lightly, and damn him if it came out more affectionate than questioning.

The redhead looked at him steadily, before he tightened his crossed arms and sat up in his chair. "Just ain't much of a reader, is all." He admitted with a murmur, but even the lowness couldn't quiet mask the deep tenor of his voice.

Naruto all but melted in his seat. It took him a moment to realize what the man said.

"Oh...Oh! Aww, well, that's no problem at all!" he exclaimed. "Hell, I wasn't much of a reader till' about a few years ago, and even now I still can't recognize some words, ya know? Like them one's in the old country books with the fancy bindings? But I try to get by. And God help me in those Bible reading sessions iffen I hadn't memorized the damn book already! So you really don't gotta worry 'bout nothin' like that 'cause you know it's…uhm… not uhh…important…" Naruto paused, looking up at the redhead with guilt in his eyes, as he realized his rant. The man was staring at him steadily, not saying anything, seemingly unbothered.

The blonde laughed nervously. "Ha…well." He looked back at the application, too aware of the way his face was heating up. "I'm just gonna find the answers to the important questions myself." He gave the man a big smile, then wiped it off his face when he was met with the same expressionlessness. "Right. Uh…What's your current residency?"

When the man only looked at him, Naruto laughed.

"Where ya _from_?"

The redhead closed his eyes in understanding. "Suna County."

_Oh_, thought Naruto. The depression hit Suna County the worst out of all the dirt counties. Last time he heard, half the population had been wiped out by famine and disease, while the other half was scattered around the county, trying to build new lives. He risked a pitying look the redhead's way before he went back to the application.

"Got any regular diseases?"

"No."

"Got any sex diseases?"

"No."

"Good, good." The blonde said, looking into the redhead's eyes and giving him another soft smile.

"You ever worked in mines before?"

"Yes."

"Ha. Haven't we all. Ever been incarcerated?"

Again, the redhead only looked at him.

Naruto smiled. "Ever been in jail? Ya know, committed a crime, or somethin'?"

"Yes."

Naruto paused. He was about to write 'no' just as he'd done for everyone else when the redhead answered the opposite. "…what for?" Hopefully it was for a small robbery or something because the rules strictly stated that incarcerated persons, under _any_ circumstances, could _not_ be—

"Murder."

Naruto had to close his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, it was with ice in his eyes. "Last time I checked, murderers get fifty to life." He said seriously. "You look too young to have been released. You some kinda outlaw?" He'd seen cases like this, escapees looking for work in counties where they weren't on the wanted list.

The redhead looked at him for a long moment, before he leaned back in his chair, uncrossed his arms, and let a tired hand run through his red hair.

Naruto felt a small chip fall off of his defenses; the man just looked so _tired_. He was someone who was fatigued by the harsh realities of life, like so many others were.

The redhead closed his eyes. "Suna din't have 'nuff money to keep the prisons running. Freed us all."

Naruto's eyes widened. A county so poor they risked letting their prisoners free? He'd never heard anything like that. He was surprised Gaara was here instead of hightailing it to the other side of the world where no one would ever find him as an illegally free man. Were times so hard that the man had to risk his life to find work instead? "You look like you would have rather stayed in jail, than watch your hometown sink this low…" he whispered.

The man stared at him , still not showing much in his face, before he inclined his head downwards and shrugged his shoulders, un-committedly.

Naruto gave him another smile. "Right then. Gaara Sabako of Suna County, be back here at dawn to start the job."

The man didn't even widen his eyes in surprise. He blinked once, nodded his head, and stood up off the chair to go to the back of the line.

Naruto looked after him with a small smile. "Don't be late." He called out lamely. Gaara only raised an acknowledging hand and continued on his way.

Naruto sighed, not really allowing himself to appreciate the view he had of the man as he walked away from him.

He heard about Suna prisons. They weren't correctional facilities; they were punishment facilities. Naruto shivered a bit as he recalled the stories he'd heard about inmates being starved, and beaten, and raped. Konoha prisons weren't like that.

With a hand through his hair, he leaned forwards and called the next man.

* * *

"Sweet baby _Jesus_."

Sasuke was thinking of something along the same lines as he got off Kakashi's truck and stared at the lines of men waiting to be reviewed for the mining jobs.

"Never seen this many people apply to mine in my life…" Kakashi whispered with a shake of his head. Sasuke saw, from the corner of his eye, that the gray haired man had to use a cane now.

"I didn't think there were even this many people living in Konoha."

Kakashi shook his head. "No, son. Most of the natives are too old to work. These folks come from other counties."

"Why are they coming here for mining? They can get much better jobs elsewhere." Sasuke commented with a sneer. He still remembered his mining years.

"Oh, Sasuke." Kakashi pitied, shaking his head sadly. "So much has changed since you've left. Konoha might just be the last county standing in these trying times. Last I heard, Water County was suffering its third year of drought, Stone County is a riot town, and Suna is down right dead. Konoha is the only one left."

Sasuke looked ahead with wide eyes at the lines of people, a wave of confusion washing over him. "That doesn't make any sense. Sound City is flourishing. This part of the country can't be suffering when the other part is doing so well."

Kakashi only shrugged his shoulders. "Yes it can. Because it's happening. Right before our very eyes."

Sasuke looked at the man with a pained expression before he looked back at the crowd. He realized now that it was obvious that these people weren't from Konoha. They all wore _down_ faces. Either anger, or sadness, or distraught. There were big men Sasuke knew Konoha couldn't breed, and young men with too much maturity in their eyes. It unnerved the brunette. He twisted his lips into a frown and took a step forward—

Then he saw him. Blonde hair, striking as always, standing up and stretching tanned arms over his head and yawning obnoxiously. The line in front of him groaned, and he saw the blonde wave an apologetic hand at them, before saying something and walking into mines behind him, already unzipping his pants.

Sasuke swallowed. That one sight, and he felt the dread fill him up again. Could he really do this? Stay here for an entire week and face the blonde's wrath? And he knew it would be wrath, because Naruto had always been the one to blow a fuse. He supposed in a way he deserved it; he abandoned the blonde, leaving a simple letter of goodbye, to pursue a career that would break them apart.

Sasuke huffed, trying to regain his composure, before he turned to face Kakashi again. "Take me back to the house." He said. "I don't want to be here."

Kakashi turned to him with a raised eyebrow, and at that moment Sasuke realized how much the man had aged. Wrinkles laced the area under his good eye and the black eye patch was now a musty sort of gray. His gray hair wasn't gray anymore. It was white. The brunette's mouth twisted in a deeper frown, and he made his way back into the truck. "I'll drive." he whispered. "I can't stay here."

Kakashi seemed to hesitate, raising a tired eye at his old student, before he gave in and got into the passengers seat of the truck.

* * *

"Damn; that took even longer than I thought it would." Naruto exclaimed, stretching. He waved off the last person with a tired smile, who was bowing and thanking Naruto as he walked away. Shikamaru was beside him when he stood up, and the blonde turned his tired smile towards him. "How many you got?"

The spiky haired man didn't answer for a while. He seemed to be searching for something in Naruto's face. "Twenty-four." He replied finally.

Twenty-four?!" the blonde responded incredulously. "Out of a over a hundred, you pulled out twenty-four? I gave you a quota of fifty."

"Ain't a push over like you, Naruto." he replied easily. "I saw you. One after the other people left your table with a smile on their face. I'm scared to ask you how much you rounded up."

Naruto suddenly looked bashful, and hid his own paper behind his back. "Not _much_." He stressed. "Just enough. Especially now that you only took in twenty-four men. If Sarutobi left you in charge we'd hardly have enough workers in the mine—"

"And we'd have more money pulling into the city that could go to the schools, and all the other things people don't pay much attention to."

Naruto smiled sweetly at Shikamaru. "You were always fond of those schools…" he said lightly.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "You tryna distract me from asking you how many people you promised a job." He accused.

Naruto laughed nervously and backed away. "Ha, don't worry about it! Once the first week passes—"

"Tell me, Naruto."

The blonde sighed and looked down at the floor. "Hun'ed four."

"A hundred an' _four_?"The man choked. "Are you _kidding_ me? We ain't got that much space for—"

"Now hold on just one second." Naruto started, holding his hands up. "The fifty I went over were just kids, Shika. I didn't give em' minin' jobs. I gave 'em other jobs like cleanin' up, and movin' the oil trucks 'cross town and—"

"It ain't about whether they minin' or not, Naruto." Shikamaru interrupted, exasperated. "It's about having enough money to _pay_ 'em. Minin' pays seven dollars an hour, and we got enough of that money for _one_ hundred people to last the rest of the summer. With your hundred, my twenty, and Kiba's fifty, that's people we don't have any money for. Don't you understand that, Naruto?"

Instead of cowering and just agreeing with him like Shikamaru hoped he would, Naruto only glared at him. "Course I understand." He said. "An' I done told you not to worry about it. Fifty of em' are _kids_. We can pay em' four fifty stead of seven dollars, and you don't have to worry about where the rest of the money is coming from."

"What the hell you tellin' me, Naruto? You got some kinda fortune hangin' around that I don't know about?"

Naruto shrugged. "You could say something like that."

Shikamaru looked taken aback for a second before he sighed, and shook his head. "You'd better make fix of this mess before it's too late, Toad."

"Ain't no mess to be fixed, Porcupine."

Shikamaru looked like he was going to say something else, but he seemed to think better of himself and shook his head instead.

The blonde grinned at him, knowing he won the fight, and spoke playfully. "Wanna go to the bars with me tonight?"

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at his friend. " I hope you're joking. The answer is no. The wife and I have plans anyway."

Naruto laughed. "You mean Ino has plans for the both of you." he countered, shaking his head. "It's probably for the best anyway. We've got a big day tomorrow. Can't go to the mines with a hang over."

Shikamaru glared at him. "You shouldn't be drinking period, Naruto. You have to stay away from that damn bottle." He said seriously. "You know that."

Naruto gave his friend a tired wave. "Didn't plan on gettin' drunk or anything…" he mumbled.

Shikamaru didn't let go of that serious look. They stared at each other for a long moment, before the brunette sighed and put his free hand in his pocket. "Listen, Naruto. Out of everyone in this town I know you're the best one for the job, but I feel like the mistakes you're making are because of your generosity— that affection you got for anyone in pain."

"Aww, Shika, don't go soundin' all wise on me."

"Just listen, Naruto." The man said, putting his free hand on the blonde's shoulder. "You need to learn to have an iron fist. Stop tryna make everyone happy. It's impossible."

Naruto stared at Shikamaru for a long time before he sighed. "That don't mean I can't _try_, Shika. And you saw how I casted the younger ones and the older ones away this morning. I can do—"

"Yeah, but it broke your heart didn't it?"

"Course it did. The least I can do now is give everyone who stayed behind a real chance to—"

Shikamaru shook his head in exasperation. "And what about those people who don't deserve those chances, huh, Naruto?"

"What kind of person don't deserve a second chance, Shika? Everyone–"

"Even, _Sasuke_, Naruto?"

One would think the blonde was an inanimate glass object, with the way he stiffened. He stared at Shikamaru with wide, betrayed eyes, before he slowly came back to himself, and looked away. What followed were several moments of silence, before—

"Kakashi told me that you sent him an invitation to the funeral." Shikamaru explained lightly.

Naruto said nothing.

Shikamaru sighed. "You see? Even going so far as to send an invite to someone who hurt you like that…It's just...I feel like you're gonna bring this place down with your wantin' to please everybody so much, is all. It makes me wonder about the kind of people you let in to work for our mines."

"Good people." he mumbled. "Don't matter iffen they're liars or thieves or people who've been incarcerated—they're still good people. I know how to pick 'em."

"Naruto...don't tell me you let incarcerated persons into our working fields…"

Naruto hesitated. "Now come on, Shika; even you and I ain't strangers to jail and even if–"

"_Naruto_," the man hissed. "You accepted _incarcerated_ persons? Are you serious? The hell are you playin' at!? Do you want this function to burn to the ground—!?"

"Now hold on a minute," Naruto started, defensively. "It ain't like that. He was a nice man–couldn't even read. And you know how Suna is, they couldn't keep up with the prison bills so they freed everyone!"

Shikamaru looked like he was about to say something, but then he stopped and stared apprehensively at the blonde. "Naruto..." he started slowly. "_Suna_? That county don't free its prisoners when they run out of money. They _kill_ them."

"..."

"So not only is that person previously incarcerated, you brought a prison _escapee_ to work in these parts!?" The man's voice grew louder and louder as he spoke. "What the hell were you _thinking_?!"

Finally, Naruto took a step back and put on a face of shame. "Shika," he began weakly. "You don't understand. I have everything under control. And iffen it don't work out we'll just send them away and–"

"Tell me who it was." Shikamaru demanded, ignoring Naruto's pleas and taking out his own papers. "Tell me his name and what he looks like so I can send him away before he sets foot in these parts."

"Come on, you don't have to do that!" Naruto exclaimed, upset and exasperated. "He ain't gonna do nothin' wrong and iffen he does we can just send him away! Now I doubt it would come to that so come on, Shika – trust me. Please? _Please._"

The man stared at the blonde long and hard. Then he huffed and shook his head. "I need a cigarette..." he mumbled.

Naruto risked a small smile. "You know you can't have those anymore. You wanna keep your wife don't you?"

Shikamaru didn't share his humor and instead gave the blonde a cold stare. "I'm beginning to think it might have been a better choice to make Kakashi the head of this operation after all." he said.

Naruto pursed his lips. "Why in the hell would anybody pick a guy like that?" he asked with obvious distaste.

Shikamaru looked up at the sky as he shook his head disbelievingly. "You talk about second chances, but you still won't give Kakashi that, after all these years."

Naruto's face turned sour so fast. "I done _gave_ him a second chance. I'm polite when I see him and I yelled at the kids who tried to take his damn cane away—what _more_ do you want from me—"

"Oh, please, Naruto." The man said, cutting him off. This time he actually did take out a cigarette. "Just sayin' you messed up big when you hired those many people. And that hate you've got for Kakashi proves—

"I don't _hate_ him—"

"That _dislike_ you got for the old man proves you got _some_ iron in your heart that'll let you say no when you have to."

Naruto looked away. "Whatever, Shika. We'll just...we'll just see how everything goes, I suppose."

The spiky haired man sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "Before you go, Naruto. About Sasuke—did you hear from him at all?"

Naruto paused. "Kakashi said he…he responded to the letter. But I dunno if…I dunno iffen he's comin' or not."

The older of the two sighed. "I'm sorry."

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Nothin' t'be sorry about. If he don't wanna come is up to him. It's probably best he don't show his face round here anyway."

Shikamaru gave him a half smile. "Ain't that the truth."

"It is."

"Go on home, Naruto." The older of the two said, wiping his brow. "The sooner you can rest up the better."

"You get some sleep too, Shika."

"I always do." The man murmured. "I always do."

Naruto didn't comment on the solemn way his friend said that. He could only make his way towards his own truck and head on home. The bittersweet shack, he like to call it. It was a good sturdy place but it had so many painful memories that he hated being in there.

But home was home. And so he went.

* * *

End of Chapter

**Author's Notes:**

Hope you enjoyed Gaara reveal. Next chapter Sasuke and Naruto meet for the first time in six years :O I'm not gonna waste anytime with that scene, I'm just gonna ease right into it. Next chapter will be up next Sunday the 16th, I think.

Here's some questions I'd like to know the answers to:

1. Was what you saw of Gaara so far believable? Is it realistic that Naruto would be attracted to him so soon?

2. And can anyone clue in on what Kakashi mentioned was Naruto's "bad habits"? Haha

Also, where do you guys read fanfiction from? Your Tablets? Phones? iPads? Computers? Laptops? Because I do almost everything from my iPhone - sometimea even writing a chapter! Maybe that's why there are often many grammar mistakes...And I literally can't read from my computer; the screen is too big and hurts my eyes. :/

Just tell me what you guys think in a message or in your reviews. Speaking of reviews, p.l.e.a.s.e r.e.v.i.e.w~

Peace&Love


	3. Long Time No See

**The Burning Mines**

III. _Long Time No See_

* * *

It was well into the night when the loud roar of a truck woke him out from his position on the dusty couch. He coughed once when particles somehow found a way into his throat and sneezed when dust went into his nose. The roar of the truck outside came to a halt, and Sasuke froze.

He recognized the hacking sound of that old pick-up from anywhere. As if on cue, footsteps sounded up the stairs, and there was fumbling on the other side of the door before it was opened then slammed shut.

Heavy footsteps came into the living room, in front of the couch, then stopped.

Sasuke didn't have to look above the intruder's knees to know exactly what he had to say. "Dobe." The label came naturally. More natural than he would have expected, considering how long it had been. It would seem even time apart wouldn't allow Sasuke to ease into a formal way of speaking to the blonde, as time away from someone usually did.

When the brunette received no answer, he took a chance and looked up at the man he hadn't seen in six years. It was too dark to tell if time had been good to Naruto or not, but he'd gained a little height from what he could see from his position on the couch, and his hair was slightly longer. He was still clean shaven as he always was, and his slowly blinking eyes revealed a newer, mature blue.

Sasuke narrowed his own. Naruto's eyes were very different, now that he stared into them. They were aged with pain. Trial and error. The oldness of them was only emphasized by the baggy stained t-shirt the blonde wore, and the mess his hair was in.

"You look like shit, Naruto."

There was a small twitch on the blonde's end. Or a wince. Or a flinch. It was too delicate for the businessman to decipher. But after a few moments Naruto surprised him and let out a breath of a laugh. The words that came after seemed to barely leave his mouth. "City didn't teach you manners, Sasuke?"

Naruto's face was one of neutrality, and his blinks were slow as his left hand twitched and the other enclosed into a fist. Sasuke wondered if he would use that hand to punch and tensed in anticipation. He expected a fight because Naruto had always been the brash type. Sasuke was prepared for it. Naruto would be damned if he thought he'd lost his hand combating skills after spending a few years in the city.

But no fists came. Sasuke almost saw the moment when Naruto's decision was made, and instead of lunging at him, Naruto moved from the living room went into the kitchen. He turned on the faucet, took a cup, and poured himself a glass of water.

Sasuke frowned as he craned his neck to watch his ex. He didn't want to leave the couch just yet, just in case he would need a preliminary boundary line after all, to prepare for the blonde's attack.

When several moments passed and the other man didn't suddenly attack him, Sasuke clenched the material of the couch. "I suppose you're wondering why I'm here..." he began slowly.

"Sarutobi's funeral."

Sasuke paused. What was with the utter listlessness in the blonde's voice? "Yes..."

He waited for Naruto to ask questions about why he was so early. He waited for Naruto to ask where he'd been. But nothing. All he got was more moments of silence, with nothing but the sound of Naruto's shuffling in the kitchen.

Sasuke stood up with a small grunt and turned to fully face his ex. "Dobe," he started, almost angrily.

"Name's Naruto." the blonde said, not raising his voice. "Unless you want me to start callin' you a whole bunch of nasty names I suggest you call me that." He'd paused to say that, and when he was done he went back to whatever he was doing in the kitchen.

Sasuke closed his hands into fists. There was a threat in there that wasn't playful. It was as if Naruto didn't even consider them friends enough to execute the warning delicately.

_Good_, Sasuke thought. Everything about this would be easier if the two of them understood that they had to completely sever the relationship they had before. But Sasuke could see the way Naruto shook slightly. Naruto still had feelings for him.

And Sasuke still didn't take to threats well. "I think I can call you whatever I want...Dobe."

And again that breathy laugh came from Naruto. A laugh that wasn't a laugh at all really. Just a shaky exhale.

From where he was Sasuke thought the blonde was arranging plates or something—possibly trying to contain the emotions he was feeling right now. But for some reason that wasn't enough for Sasuke. He wanted to see the emotions, so he could throw them down, and have Naruto stop loving him forever. That's what he came for. To make the blonde stop loving him forever. Because he knew the blonde did. There was no way he didn't still love Sasuke.

"Do you have anything to say at all?" the brunette asked.

"Not really." His ex murmured. "Just thinkin' is all."

Sasuke sneered a bit. Now that Naruto was speaking in almost-full sentences he could hear that infuriating accent it took him months to get rid of.

"Thinking about what?"

"Nothin'." There was a clang, and Naruto was suddenly downing a gold liquid from the glass he drank water from.

The smell carried across the room and Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Whiskey at this hour?"

"Every hour's whiskey hour 'round these parts. Or did you forget that?" For the first time, Naruto turned to really look at him. He had the edge of a smile on his face, and the dirt that covered it a second ago was gone.

"How could I forget…" Sasuke whispered. Naruto was still handsome. Maybe more so than before. He was even more golden than the last time Sasuke'd seen him, the constant sun probably darkening his skin. And his eyes, despite their age, was still bright behind those long uncharacteristically dark lashes. A tongue licked full lips, and Naruto began to speak again.

"I'm surprised you found your way back here by yourself." Naruto said, changing the subject. He was holding a refilled cup of Whiskey. Sasuke didn't even realize when he poured himself a new one.

"I didn't." Sasuke went behind the couch and leaned against it, crossing his arms. "I called Kakashi. He drove me back."

Naruto put his head down, and laughed softly. "Of course he did…" Sasuke wasn't sure why he thought he heard bitterness in the blonde's voice.

"What was that?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nothin'. Just wonderin'."

Sasuke could see through Naruto's façade. The blonde was trying to be blasé about everything. Trying to separate himself from the situation. Acting as if he didn't really mind that Sasuke was here, when Sasuke damn well knew that the other man did. The Naruto he knew would have blown up in his face by now though—would have fought him to the ground by now. "Wondering about what?"

"Wonder-_i__ng_ about wh-_at_." Naruto repeated, letting out another small infuriating laugh. "You got rid of it completely didn't you? The accent, dialect—whatever." He took a big gulp of the liquid at hand.

Sasuke scoffed. "Of course I—"

"What you doin' here, Sasuke?" Naruto asked suddenly. He held the cup at his palm, while his free fingers drummed the glass. He had a strange look of inquiry—not quite intrusive, just a general interest.

Sasuke stared at the blonde for a few moments before he answered. "I'm staying here. Until the funeral's over."

Naruto paused in his drumming to look at the raven-haired man. "In here? Like, _here_ here? In my house?"

Sasuke straightened himself. "Yes, Naruto. _Here_ here. I'm not paying to live in some rathole hotel—"

"No, of course not." Naruto interrupted with mock-understanding. "Not when you can just come here and mooch off me." it was said sarcastically—but the sarcasm was humorless, almost painful. The falsity in the brightness Sasuke saw in Naruto's eyes made him really see how much the blonde had grown.

"It's my house too." Sasuke whispered, going there, when he knew he shouldn't. "In fact it's my house alone, if you want to get technical."

Naruto gave him one of those smiles. One of those unnerving _non-_smiles he liked to pull off whenever something upset him and he wanted no one to know that it did. Sasuke couldn't believe the blonde still wore it after all these years.

The smile was gone after a moment, replaced with a thin line of non-committing emotion. He turned around to wash his glass—when had he finished the Whiskey?—and put it away.

"I suppose then we'll have to talk about your rent." Naruto said causally, over the sound of running water.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, dobe?"

"Your rent. The money you'll owe me for the days you spend here."

Sasuke laughed aloud. "You expect me to _pay_ to live in this dump?" he said, he gestured with his hand, trying to encompass the small house. "First off, no matter what you say, I am still the legal owner of this place. I was the one who signed those property forms, and secondly—who would _pay_—"

"What's that?" Naruto asked, cutting the man off.

Sasuke paused in his rant and blinked. Naruto wasn't looking at his face, he was looking somewhere in front of him...When he followed the blonde's eyes, he saw him staring at the hand he had raised to express his disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded, putting the hand down. But before he could put it behind him, Naruto was walking forwards, hand outstretched. When he reached him he took Sasuke's hand, eyed the ring on his ring finger and touched it with his tan index.

Sasuke snatched his hand away, and put it behind his back. "It's a wedding ring, Naruto."

When he offered no more explanation, Naruto looked up at him with a small raise of his eyebrows.

Sasuke frowned down at him. "I'm married, Naruto. Or at least, for the time being. We're getting a divorce." Sasuke didn't expect the topic of his soon to be ex-wife to ever come up in this little trip of his but he didn't mind telling the blonde.

Naruto, closer than he'd ever been to Sasuke in six years, blinked at him. "You're married." It wasn't a question. He blinked again, owlishly, and Sasuke had to squirm under the stare.

"Yes, dobe. Married. But we're getting a divorce." he added quickly, but he honestly didn't know why he was giving Naruto this information. "The only reason we aren't already," Sasuke continued with a tired sigh as he remembered the troublesome complications, "...is because of our son. But eventually Sakur—"

"You have a son."

The brunette loosened his tie and tried to take a step back, only to find that he was inches from the couch. Sasuke didn't know why he hadn't thought this part through. He was so wound up on the idea that Naruto would simply be upset about him leaving that he'd forgotten the part about his starting a family in the city while he was at it. He wondered if it would be wise to choose his words carefully. "Yes, Naruto." He settled for. "A son. But besides that—"

"What's his name?"

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

"Your son don't got a name, Sasuke?"

"Of course he does. His name is Seichi."

Naruto's eyes softened. "That's what you said you would name your son iffen you ever had one..."

The blonde suddenly stepped back and went into the kitchen again. He took out the same glass, and from this angle Sasuke couldn't really see but he was guessing the blonde was getting more Whiskey.

"So it didn't matter that you were already married to somebody else? You still just up and married someone despite that?"

Sasuke barked out a laugh, gathering himself again. "We were never _married_, Naruto. There were no documents signed. Nothing to erase. We were engaged at _best_ and even then, there was no plan, no real future in it."

"Nothing to erase…" Naruto repeated softly. "Guess you're straight now too." He tilted his head back, and Sasuke could see him downing another glass of alcohol.

"You were always a light weight, Naruto. You sure you should be doing that?" He would berate himself later for the concern he heard in his voice.

Naruto chuckled. "Not a lightweight no more…" he murmured.

When he turned around again his glass was refilled.

How did he do that so quickly? Sasuke asked himself.

"Was she pretty?" Naruto asked suddenly.

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

"Your wife. Was she pretty? _Is_ she, rather…"

Sasuke frowned slightly. That wasn't the question he was expecting the blonde to ask. He hesitated before he pulled out his wallet from his back pocket, flipped it open and threw it to the blonde. Naruto caught it with one hand, surprising Sasuke with his reflexes and stared at the picture.

Sasuke hadn't looked at the photograph for a long time, but he knew what was there. His wife in a chair, with their son sitting on her lap, and himself standing behind that chair with his hands on his wife's shoulders. Classic family portrait.

"Wow." Again, it was whispered.

Sasuke watched the expression on Naruto's face. Again, no committed emotion. He didn't seem awed or saddened by what he saw. He was cold, like the platinum on Sasuke's wedding ring.

Which reminded him…

"Look into the first pocket, under that picture."

Naruto did as he was told. When he shuffled for a bit, he pulled out a plain, stainless steel ring. From a far angle one wouldn't be able to tell the material from silver.

"I didn't mean to take it with me when I left," Sasuke explained. "So I thought I would give it to you now…" when the raven-haired man looked up again, Naruto was eyeing the ring, again with those calm eyes. He turned the ring around with his finger and seemed to study it, and Sasuke couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Finally the blonde put the ring—his engagement ring to Sasuke six years ago—on the kitchen counter and threw Sasuke's wallet back at him.

"Three thousand a night." He said suddenly.

Sasuke blinked. "Excuse me?"

Naruto smiled at him. "You heard me. Three thousand a night. That's how much it'll cost you to stay here."

"Bull _shit_," Sasuke said, laughing aloud. "I would never pay that much for—"

"You sayin' you don't got the money?"

"Of course I have the money! But I'm not going to waste it away on this shithole."

"Then you can go find somewhere else t'live." Naruto said, putting it simply. He shrugged his shoulders and began walking into the living room, past Sasuke. "You know where the door is."

"Damn right, I know where the door is. I _own_ this house, Naruto. I should make _you_ leave."

Naruto stopped walking and turned to look at his ex. "And you'd know all about leavin' now wouldn't you, Sasuke?" he asked, his voice scathing.

Sasuke only allowed himself to be taken aback for one moment, but the guilt he felt in that moment stung him from all sides. And why, why, _why_ would he feel guilty? he thought angrily. It was unacceptable, and he would strangle that guilt to death before he left this county.

Anger overcame him then. He walked around the living room table so he was directly in front of the blonde. "I know this is just some petty attempt to get back at me for what I did to you." he hissed into the man's face. He tried not to mind the onslaught of memories that came with the strong smell of Whiskey on his ex's breath. "And I understand you're angry, and upset," he continued. "But let's just make this easier for the both of us, and let me live here in peace, all _right_?"

For the first time, there was genuine emotion in the blonde's face. Anger darkened in his narrowed blue eyes, and he completed the distance between him and his ex with a harsh finger to the man's chest. "You think I'm just gonna roll over and let you do whatever the fuck you _want_-?" he demanded in disbelief.

"And why not?!" Sasuke spat, stepping back and waving his hands in the air. "That's what you've done your _whole life_. Rolled over like a damned whipped puppy and did whatever the fuck I wanted, so why stop now?!" he screamed into the man's face.

...

...

Sasuke felt his face heat up.

_Shit_.

He didn't think he was going to be the first one to raise his voice.

Naruto had choked somewhere along the lines of Sasuke's speech and took a step back with eyes that didn't stop widening. "That's about the cruelest thing you ever done said to me, Sasuke." he breathed out in disbelief.

Sasuke looked at his ex for long moments before he let out an angry sigh. "I know that what I did was wrong." he began, stepping further away from the blonde. "But we can never be together again. If you throw a punch at me I'll accept that - I'll fight back, but I'll accept it - and if you want to reduce me to giving you a few pity-goodbye fucks then I'll do that too - but damn it if I let you take my hard earned money just to make a point."

Something like surprise ripped a shocked burst of laughter from the blonde. "I stand corrected." he said in wonder, as he stared at the man he hadn't seen in six years.

Sasuke frowned back at him. He didn't care what Naruto thought of him. He had always been this caustic and practical, and he knew going in that there was a possibility that the blonde would fall privy to some type of emotion and want to have sex with Sasuke a few more times before he was out of his life forever. Naruto had always been emotional that way. Sasuke didn't care. As long as the blonde knew that it was a purely physical thing, meant to consumate the severing of the ties. And Sakura would not mind even though they were still technically married.

Naruto took a step back from Sasuke, not looking shocked or even at Sasuke anymore. His voice came out casual, despite what had just been said. "Konoha County Law states that ownership of any private property can be overturned if the party resposnible for that ownership is persistently unavailable in said property for more than three years, and if a plea is given and signed by the current mayor over a written document signed by the pleader and two witness parties to overturn said property." he looked up at Sasuke with dark eyes and said in a hushed tone, "What that means is that this house don't belong to you no more, Sasuke Uchiha. And the rent to live here is three thousand dollars. If you don't wanna pay up then _get the fuck off my property_." he seethed with a flourish, before turning around and heading towards the stairs of the house.

Sasuke blinked at Naruto's retreating back, losing a bit of the fire he'd felt a moment before. "W-wait!"

When Naruto actually paused at the stairs, Sasuke realized he didn't expect Naruto to wait. He didn't even know what to say. He knew he wanted...

Sasuke scowled. He knew he wanted to stay here. And it would be a damned hassle to find some place else to stay. He could take Kakashi up on his offer but...

He growled aloud and gave in. "Five hundred." He said.

"Two thousand."

"Damn, it Naruto—"

"Two thousand _five_-hun'ed—"

"Fine!" Sasuke spat, waving his hands in the air. "You wanna take my money, fine! God knows you fucking need it." he snarled, looking around the place.

Naruto said nothing and continued up the stairs.

"Wait!" Sasuke shouted, coming after him. "Where will I sleep?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders, turning to look at him. "As far as I'm concerned, you already made your sleepin' arrangements—" He nodded at the messy couch where Sasuke had placed all his suitcases.

"I am _not_ sleeping on the couch for two thousand dollars a night, Naruto—"

"No, you're not." Naruto agreed. "You're sleeping on the couch for two thousand five hun-_d__red _dollars a nigh_t_." Naruto corrected, mockingly. " And there ain't any room up here, anyway." he said, pointing up the stairs.

"I built this house with you, Naruto. I know there's a guest room."

"But that room is reserved for _welcomed_ guests." Naruto clarified slowly, as if explaining it to a child.

Sasuke shouted something else back at him, but the blonde only continued up the stairs. "I'll be seeing you in the morning…" he murmured back, paying no mind to Sasuke's anger.

"Naruto!"

His only response was footsteps calmly walking away.

* * *

"Dobe."

"Sasuke."

There were several moments of silence, and Sasuke sat up on the couch to see the blonde better. He'd seen him walk down the stairs, with a small frown on his face, but the way Naruto said his name made Sasuke feel like there was more to that frown than he was ever meant to know.

"Sleep well?" Naruto's voice surprised him.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Was the blonde going to pretend like nothing happened last night? "I did." he began cautiously. "Surprisingly. But I can think of someone who didn't."

Naruto didn't even pause in whatever he was doing in the kitchen. "Is that so?"

Sasuke scowled. "What was going on up there, Naruto?" he asked, not wanting to beat around the bush anymore. "I heard noises last night. Crashes. A lot of crashes. Were you upset?"

"The wood's getting old." Naruto said easily, not missing a bit. "A few things fell, is all."

"A lot of things _fell_, Naruto."

Naruto turned around quickly then, and instead of seeing a defensive frown or scowl, Sasuke saw a calm face. "You're not the one who had to clean it up." He said. "So stop complaining." Then he smiled and headed for the door.

"W-wait," Sasuke called after him, standing up from the couch. "Where the hell are you going?"

"Goin' to the mines." Naruto called out, not stopping.

"Wait!" the raven-haired man shouted, going after the blonde. "You're going to just leave me here?"

Naruto paused for a moment, and turned around to look patiently at Sasuke. "You got a problem with bein' left behind, Sasuke?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, but realization hit him as he began to understand the reference. "Damn it." He cursed, resigned.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at him, before he tipped the oddly large hat he had on, nodded to the man, and made his way to the large blue pick-up truck in front of the house.

"What the hell am I supposed to do here until you come back?!" Sasuke shouted at him.

Naruto waved at him, disregarding. "Visit your friends!" he shouted over the roaring sound of his truck's engine.

"I don't have any friends!" Sasuke shouted back.

The only response he got was Naruto's laughter as he drove away.

* * *

"What's wrong with you, Naruto?"

The blonde was leaning against the first wall of the mine entrance, behind all the warning signs that said to keep out, and had an expression that Shikamaru knew all too well.

"Are you hung over?"

Naruto laughed a little. "Now Shika," he started slowly. "If that were the case, it would mean that I went out drinking yesterday, and I assure you, I did _not_ go out drinking."

"That don't mean you can't drink in your own home, what the hell were you _thinking_?" The man hissed, lifting a warning tape and crossing under it so he could take the blonde's face.

Naruto tried to move away, but Shikamaru pinned him down on one shoulder with his hand and tore his hat off. "You said you hated this hat." He growled before taking Naruto's jaw and tilting it up harshly.

"Guugh—" Naruto grunted, closing his eyes tightly.

"Sensitivity to light." Shikamaru smacked the wall behind Naruto's head and the blonde jumped. "What the _hell_, Naruto! " he hissed. "What the _hell_. What in God's name were you thinking—"

"Sasuke's back."

Shikamaru paused, and looked at Naruto. "What did you say?"

Naruto looked back it him, and smiled one of his special non-smiles. "He came yesterday. Says he's stayin' at my place 'till the funeral."

Shikamaru stared at Naruto for the longest time, before he swore under his breath. "God _damn_ it."

"No, no, no." Naruto said tiredly. "Consider all our money problems _solved_. He's more of a bastard than ever but at least I'll milk him dry before he leaves these parts."

Shikamaru shook his head, not really understanding. When he turned around to take a quick look behind him, he was faced with the crowd of men who'd arrived for mining. It was still a few minutes before everything got started, so he didn't have to worry about them right then.

Shikamaru shook his head and swore again. He let some more silence pass between the before he asked, "You think you can handle it?"

"'Course I can." Naruto assured. "Ain't nothin' gonna stop me from doin' my job. I'll just drink a lot of water and—"

Shikamaru sighed and turned to face Naruto again. "No, I mean can you _handle_ it." He aked softly. "I know you'll do your job. Ain't no doubt in my mind. But I wanna know that you ain't gonna cave in and rot your soul with all those emotions you like to keep hidden again."

Naruto raised a tired eyebrow, before he shook his head. "I'm fine, Shikamaru."

Another moment of silence passed between them. "Why you lyin' to me, Naruto?" Shikamaru demanded softly.

Naruto frowned, looked away, and said nothing.

The older of the two sighed. "Leave it to Sasuke to bring you back to this damn state. And at a time like this." He whispered harshly. "But I woulda thought…that if he came…you would be _stronger_ than this, Naruto." He said, turning to look back at the blonde.

"I _am_ stronger." Naruto assured. "Didn't let him see me upset. Didn't even cry."

"That ain't _strength_, Naruto." The older man cried out, exasperated. "Emotions are _good_—I don't know who told you otherwise. But besides all that, you still went to the _bottle_. After all of us have been beggin' you to stop, you still went to the damn bottle and now you comin' into the mines with a damn hangover—"

"It ain't gonna be as bad as it was before—" Naruto started defensively before he was interrupted.

"How the hell do you know that, huh? You're a damn alcoholic—"

"_What_?" Naruto mouthed, looking bewildered. "I'm—I'm _not_." He assured in a harsh whisper, looking around to see if anyone was near enough to hear. "M-maybe I was _before_, but now—"

"No one ever stops bein' an alcoholic, damn it." Shikamaru growled. "You just get better at holdin' your liquor—"

Naruto looked away and brushed his hair back angrily. He was breathing harshly now. "Shikamaru just leave me be—"

"How can I?" Shikamaru asked, almost desperately, showing more emotion than he would show his wife on most occasions. He took Naruto's shoulder harshly pushed him back. "You're going to kill yourself one of these days—"

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Naruto suddenly shouted, and Shikamaru felt the conversations of the men waiting behind them subside. He knew that they were all probably staring at the two. There was now silence for the most part, and only Naruto's harsh breathing could be heard, along with the light winds. He was looking at Shikamaru with wide, bright, and desperate eyes, and showing the older man a window to the emotions Shikamaru knew the blonde kept hidden inside. "Why don't you just leave it _alone_—" he whispered desperately.

"Why don't you get _help_—"

"Why don't you just get off my _back_?!" Naruto threw his hands in the air. "Ain't nothin' _wrong_ with havin' a _drink_ after a hard day of _work_—"

"_Bullshit_, Naruto! You and I both know that work's got nothin' to do with your problem—"

"Can you _stop_? Just let it _go_—!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at the sky with disbelief as if he couldn't believe why the gods were letting this happen to him.

"The hell I'll let this go, Naruto! You're gonna be stuck with me 'til you kick this _damn habit_—"

"S_TOP!_" Naruto screamed and he pushed Shikamaru so hard the older man crashed into the warning tape and ripped it off. Naruto put a hand to his mouth, and wiped away the spittle that had formed there, and let out an exhale that was long overdue.

A few moments passed, with the two of them just standing there, and Naruto looking away.

Finally the blonde growled, "I'm leaving." under his breath. He walked over the fallen warning tape and stalked away.

"Where the hell you going—"

"To teach these damn fools how to mine!" Naruto called back angrily. "Or do you think I'm gonna fuck _that_ up too?!" he added, angrily, before turning around and heading towards the crowd of awaiting men.

"Damn, it, Naruto," Shikamaru began, following after the blonde, but he had to stop when Naruto called attention to the crowd with a shout.

"All right fellas! It's about time we get started!"

And even with his back facing him, Shikamaru knew that Naruto would have a renewed smile plastered on his face, as if nothing had ever happened.

"Now we're gonna get started with roll call; make sure everyone's here—and iffen someone comes late just tell em' to come to me or my pal Shikamaru here so we can tell em' they're fired for being late on the first day!" he ended the sentence with a grin so wide a few men actually chuckled. "Now—" he paused and turned around to face Shikamaru who was still a way behind him. "Shika, _buddy_, what you doin' back there, these men won't bite!" he finished that with another dazzling grin, and again a few of the crowd chuckled.

Shikamaru frowned deeply at the blonde, showing him exactly what he thought of his _act_, but Naruto continued to smile, waving him towards the crowd.

Shikamaru had no choice but to join him.

* * *

End of Chapter

**Author's Notes:**

Never hurts to throw a little alcoholism in the mix. I wrote this chapter like forty times - I just couldn't get the Sasuke/Naruto Scene, right! I hope you guys enjoyed what I settled with =/

Uhm, **QUESTIONS** to help me for rewrites and the next chapter:

**1. I'm trying to make Sasuke seem like the Jerk who cares about people but refuses to admit it and hides behind insults. Did I pull it off?**

**2. Was Naruto's reaction to someone he hadn't seen in SIX YEARS believable?** I had a huge problem with that, because I didn't want them to get physcial (fighting-wise) too soon, but I didn't want Naruto to be too passive about the whole thing. Be assured everything is going to BLOW OUT OF CONTROL between these two guys sooner rather than later. I'm just not sure if it'll; end in hasty, desperate, longing sex/ or the fist fight of the century...or both ._.

**3.** **Okay, the accents. Are they bothering anyone (in terms of me pulling it off) and Are the differences between the way Sasuke/Kakashi talks from Naruto and the rest of the gang apparent?** I'm trying to use the American southern/midwestern accent as minimally as possible since I don't know much about it except from television and some books but I still want there to be a difference.

**4. OH, OH!**, and someone emailed me and told me they were from **Mississippi** - **Where is everyone from?!** - You don't have to answer, I'm just wondering from where people are reading my stories.

Uhm okay! Next chapter we get a nice view of **Gaara**, and **I think** it will be posted Next Sunday, the 23rd.


	4. Conversations and Confrontations

**The Burning Mines**

IV**: **_Conversations and Confrontations__  
_

* * *

Naruto had to take his hat off at the third hour of work.

Along with his button down.

And his T-shirt.

And hell, he would have gotten rid of his jeans if Shikamaru hadn't given him _that _look as he was unbuttoning them.

It was hot.

No hotter than any other day, but the sun was at high noon, and the rocky plains that the mining fields were located in seemed to fester in the heat and reflect it back on the hard working miners. It had taken almost four hours to teach and assign them where to go, but that was less time than it usually took since most everyone had mined before. The tricky part had been what he was going to do with the young-ins who he'd hired despite his speech about adults only.

He'd initially thought he'd use them to drive the oil trucks further into town where the oil would be processed and bought by whoever the hell it went to - Naruto didn't really know the intricacies past the digging part - but it was too early to need the trucks yet. First the men had to unground the earth and find the central point of oil, in which case it would be several points, since Konoha was so blessed, and when that was done, they had to build around the central points all while avoiding dry, caved in holes dug up from the previous years, then form new wells to gather the oil into buckets so that could be transferred to the trucks, all while avoiding the dry oil holes dug up from previous seasons.

But it would be a while before all of that. Summer oil mining usually took all summer, sometimes moving into the fall season if the earth was being stingy or if the men from the fall and winter sucked the place drier than Sasuke's humor.

So for now Naruto had to make the young one's do half jobs that he usually assigned to people who were slow to learn, like going into the mines with the wheelbarrows and picking up the rocks that accumulated at each mining station.

It was a dangerous job, as people had been injured, and sometimes even killed due to collapsing rocks, but Naruto had to do what he had to do.

Being hirer for the mines also meant being the out-looker of the whole operation, so he couldn't really go into the mines and work, where it would undoubtedly be cooler; instead he had to over see the mining grounds from above to spot dark oil markings, misbehavior on the job, or faulty digging.

In the past the mining fields were set up to block the sun, but people found that it made it a hassle to rebuild around central oil points and too many accidents having to do with workers getting stuck with no one to help them made the late Sarutobi order the grounds to be opened up so that an overseer could look into the grounds from above and watch for any foul play.

This put Naruto right in the suns rays, which bat at him relentlessly. It had been unbearable earlier, what with his hangover, but it was better now. All he had to deal with was the heat. Several workers had taken their shirts off just as he had, despite their being in a cooler area, but Naruto supposed it made sense since the lot of them were heavy lifting, and digging into the ground and the walls to find and make way for the new wells.

Despite the heat the day had gone smoothly so far. Kiba had come to help with the over looking, and he'd gathered a crowd of people to one part of the field so he and the men could work together. Shikamaru had taken the rest of the of them and assigned them to other parts, so Naruto hadn't really had a chance to come into the contact with anyone except the young ones, who he'd helped remove rocks from the mining sites for some time.

Naruto had thought it would stay that way, with him just inspecting the sites, and helping the young ones, when his eyes settled on a harsh spot of red in the near distance.

_Gaara_.

The redhead was working on Kiba's part of the field, swinging a pick axs into a wall to make space for ground to unearth. Every swing brought a dozen pebbles and rocks falling into the ground. Kids that were a little older than Konohamaru dashed in every few minutes with their wheelbarrows to carry the accumulation of rocks at Kiba's station. Every once in a while Gaara would help haul a particularly large rock onto the contraption before going back to his own work.

He wore a sleeveless white T-shirt that was soaked to the _bone_, he was working so hard. The shirt stuck to his skin, and was practically see-through.

Naruto narrowed his eyes a bit. Yesterday he might have drooled over the man, but the real issue in the matter swirled in his head like a dark cloud.

_They don't set them free; they kill them._

Naruto looked to the ground and shut his eyes. If that was true then he would have to take the man somewhere private, get the real answers, and then, if what Shikamaru said was true, get rid of him. Naruto had hired a lot of questionable people but not murderers who escaped from jail then _lied_ about it. And it was such a shame. Gaara _seemed_ like a nice guy. He'd thought he felt feel goodness from the redhead. And life had made Naruto _very good_ at reading people. Knowing what was in their hearts and such.

But it seemed he was wrong about this one.

With a mind to get back to his duties, he saw Gaara haphazardly drop his ax from the corner of his eye. He would have stayed on the redhead but a small shout sounded somewhere else in the same station. A wheelbarrow had its wheels stuck in a hole under a hood of a rock, and a small boy was grunting and trying to push and pull it free.

Naruto anticipated the shift of the loose hood of rocks above the boy before he actually saw it move, and before he knew it he was running forwards on the large boulder he stood on to shout, "Hey, kid – _get the hell out of there!_"

And it was like the rock shook just to spite Naruto's yell, because in the next moment there was a crunch, and a large chip was falling and heading towards the boy's head.

"_Hey!_" Naruto yelled, and he saw Shikamaru seeing the same thing from where he was, and blowing a whistle he had around his neck. There was no way he would make it in time—

But then Naruto had to stop running. Because someone was knocking the boy out of the way, and catching the large rock that threatened to break through the young boy's skull. Naruto blinked.

Gaara.

Everyone in the station stopped working, and Kiba went over to the scene, whipping his cap off. It was obvious he didn't have any idea what was going on. Naruto couldn't hear them, but he saw the little boy's mouth moving, explaining to his friend what the hell what was going on. Kiba seemed to sigh heavily before he turned to Gaara, patted his back and said something that looked grateful.

And then it was over and everyone was returning back to their spots in their station. Some other man helped the kid pull the wheelbarrow, and said something that made the kid hightail it out of there.

Naruto stood awkwardly in his half running stance.

Gaara had…saved that kid. What kind of…

What kind of lying outlaw did that?

Said redhead threw his head back and from a distance Naruto could see him run a hand through his hair, gather all the sweat there, and shake it out as if he'd just got out of the shower. Then he, damn him, reached for the hem of his shirt with both hands and pulled the thing over his head.

Naruto's mouth was too dry to swallow by then.

The slight arch Gaara had to make to get the shirt off exposed the muscle of his back, chest, and long arms. Naruto saw fine hairs decorating his armpit, and a slight trail of the same colored hair from just below his belly button to the inside of his sagging jeans.

Naruto shook his head viciously, and turned resolutely away.

There it was again. That feeling, just above his groin. Like the first time he laid eyes on the man. Naruto felt his face heat up, but if anyone looked at his passive expression they would only blame the redness on the heat of the sun.

So…Naruto could actually _still_ feel this way, he thought to himself, his eyes dimming. Six years was a long time – time enough for him to have found someone else, just like Sasuke had. But…

But _what?_ He thought indignantly, and the smile he had on was bitter.

He'd been waiting for Sasuke to come back that was what. He'd been waiting to come home from work one day, and for the asshole to be laying on the couch, or waiting for him on top of the stairs, saying "just kiddin'" or admitting he'd made a terrible mistake.

But that never happened.

And Naruto became but a shell of himself. Devoid of the feelings that drew him to Sasuke, that drew him to any man.

Naruto touched his stomach.

Attraction. That's what this was. Attraction. He was feeling attraction after he'd felt nothing like it for six years.

But it was nothing intense, he assured himself. He was simply appreciating good looks.

It was just a shame that those good looks had to be wasted on a liar.

He looked at the sky, then at his shadow. It was at least an hour past noon. Lunch time. "All right!" he called out from his position on the overseers boulder. "Lunch time everyone!" He wanted to get answers from the outlaw now, before more doubts rumbled about in his head.

There was a chorus of clangs and clonks, as people threw their tools on the floor and yelled, "finally" and "Halle-_freakin'_-lujah".

Shikamaru looked at him from his position above the mines, and then at the sky. He seemed to accept what he saw there, and nodded at Naruto. "Follow me everyone!" he called. "Make a line at the front. I'll be passin' out your lunches courtesy of the wife's diner!"

Some people shouted in glee—mostly the younger ones, while everyone else looked either shocked or confused. Naruto smiled. He knew that Konoha Mines were the most generous. No one else offered food on the job, but Naruto knew how hard times would be, so he begged Ino to prepare the meals for the hundred and seventy eight miners, not including himself, Kiba and Shikamaru.

The blonde made his way down below easily, holding onto a few rocks here and there before he jumped onto solid ground.

He saw Gaara, taking his sweet time to get to the line. In fact it looked like he was letting everyone pass him before he could get a chance to leave his station. Naruto wrinkled his nose at that, eyeing the redhead with narrowed eyes as he made his way to the line that was forming in front of Kiba and Shikamaru who were handing out small white bags to eager and hesitant hands.

Naruto decided what move he would make then.

He hung back at the end of the line. As soon as he spotted the redhead he would follow him to wherever he chose to eat, and confront him. It might end nastily so Naruto had to tell Shikamaru first and make the man hang back until the blonde gave him a signal that it was all right or that he would need his help.

Naruto made his way towards the brunette, keeping his eye out for the shock of red hair.

"Shika," he started, when he reached his friend.

The man spared him a distracted glance while handing out the food.

"I'm taking care of it now."

Shikamaru paused, narrowing his eyes at Naruto. Naruto knew that he could tell what he was talking about right away. "Who is it?" the man asked, his voice hushed.

"The one over the there," Naruto nodded in the distance. "Red hair, real nice eyes." He hesistated. "I-I mean creepy eyes. L-like a raccoon." He corrected lamely.

Shikamaru seemed to not have heard Naruto's fumble with words, instead he was looking at the redhead who was walking away. "Red hair…raccoon eyes…" he whispered, as if thinking.

"Yeah…" Naruto said slowly. "Anyway, I'm goin' for it—"

"Hey boss!" said someone, punching him in the ribs from the side.

Naruto winced and turned around. He smiled when he saw who it was. "How ya doin' twenty-five." He said to Konohamaru. "How's the minin' life treatin' you?"

Konohamaru had already dug into his plain white lunch bag and was chewing obnoxiously at the sandwich he'd been given. "S'haaard." He said, with his mouth full. "Plenty of people to talk to, though. Thas' more 'an I can say for my house down on the farm." He swallowed and took another large bite. "I'm the youngest," he managed to say around the food, "but the others are like me. 'Cept Toko. He thinks he's better an' everyone else just 'cuz."

"Just 'cuz what?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow.

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "Just 'cuz."

Naruto nodded in understanding, and gave the boy another smile. "Well then, why don't you go run along and play with your new friends. Kinda have business to attend to here."

Konohamaru scowled at him, looking offended. "Ain't playin'." He said seriously. "Ain't no kid, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember, twenty-five. Now get on." He said, inclining his head towards the direction of the other younger workers. "Adults are talkin'."

Konohamaru huffed something foul at him, before childishly sticking his tongue out and stomping away.

"How old is that kid?" Kiba asked from beside him. He was standing a few feet away from Shikamaru.

Naruto gave the man a grin. "Twenty-five."

Kiba's eyes widened, while Shikamaru only rolled his eyes.

Naruto chuckled at that, glad that his friend didn't seem to have any intention of telling Kiba the truth, before he looked up to spot red hair again.

He saw Gaara walking across the main road, along with many others, making his way towards the large boulder field ahead, which hid Konoha County Lake on the other side.

Naruto followed him.

* * *

As soon as eight o'clock hit, it was as if he never left the city. Sasuke's cellphone rang every ten minutes with clients and coworkers asking him for advice on marketing deals with their cooperate partners and business transactions with other companies. His wife had been the caller half the time, asking how he was doing in his hometown and if she should proceed with his work, and _still_ complaining about the "too-young" nanny—it was almost enough for Sasuke to forget the curiosity he'd previously had for what happened upstairs last night.

He spent half the morning finishing paperwork he'd procrastinated on before, and the other half futilely trying to find any internet source he could use to plug in his laptop. In the end he had to give up on finding any sort of connection, and just settled with being happy his partners in the office could contact him via cellphone.

As noon approached, Sasuke found he had a headache forming and had to stop working. He could work for hours upon hours, but not without food, and the blonde's fridge had been empty when he checked. Sasuke decided he would speak to Naruto about it when the idiot came home. There was no way he was going to pay almost three thousand dollars to sleep on a couch _and_ starve.

With his mind away from work he found himself thinking about the noises he'd heard upstairs again. They were like crashes, as if someone had thrown something – like a bottle – against a wall. Sasuke frowned. He was going to find out what the hell that had been. He laid his work on the living room table and made his way to the stairs. He had to pause though, even before he could put his foot on the first step.

Because he could remember.

He remembered the time Naruto had been drunk off two shots of tequila and had fallen down the steps laughing as Sasuke shouted at him in hysterics, checking for broken bones, he remembered the fights they had with him standing in the middle of the steps and Naruto on the bottom as they pointed fingers and cursed—

And he remembered Naruto on the top step that one day. Sitting on the hideous red carpet as he chewed an apple. He'd smiled down at Sasuke when Sasuke had come home, and Sasuke had scowled at him, telling him he'd better not sit on the bed with an ass that had been sitting on that dirty infested, sweat smelling thing. Naruto had laughed at him, obnoxious but loving, and beckoned the man over.

And of course Sasuke went. He always went. And then Naruto had murmured something useless into his ear about his pants not being dirty, and Sasuke had ignored him and taken his pants off anyway, and the half-hearted argument dissolved into whole-hearted slow love making on the stairs, until the memory dissipated all together and Sasuke was left staring at the staircase.

Naruto replaced the carpet.

Sasuke's eyes dimmed as he looked at them. There used a brash red of a carpeting, covering the steps. That carpet had been an absolute mess. It stank of dirt, sweat – and semen, Sasuke remembered with a twitch. He'd wanted to get rid of it for the longest time, but for the life of him Naruto wouldn't let it go. He said the carpet had too many fond memories.

Now the red material was an inconspicuous gray thing, that didn't stink of anything. It was just a carpet. A carpet with no memories. No memories with Sasuke in them.

When Sasuke was up the stairs he went to the first door in the hallway, which he knew would be Naruto's room. But when Sasuke entered what he and Naruto chose as their bedroom six years ago, he found it mostly empty. The master bed was still there, but most of the cabinets were gone, and so were all the photographs they'd hung up on the walls. When Sasuke walked into the room, he found that the floor was a bit dusty, and that the bed looked like it'd been made years ago, and not tampered with since.

Sasuke frowned, as realization dawned on him. Naruto had made the master bedroom—their old room—into the guest room. He blinked. Then where was Naruto's room?

Sasuke closed the door behind him and walked further down the hallway.

His destination was at the far end, behind a door with nothing on it but a few scratch marks. When he opened it, he found the inside of the room just as plain. He'd gone upstairs in search of this room mainly because he wanted to find out what the hell had made so much noise last night, but looking inside, there wasn't really anything Sasuke could pin it on. The blonde had a few shirts strewn on the floor, and a pair of boxers lay haphazardly halfway underneath the bed, but nothing else really screamed any sort of unruliness to him.

And that was strange. Sasuke knew the blonde to be an absolute slob. The few of his ex's clothes he saw on the floor were small evidences of that, but that was just it. The evidence of _existence_. It wasn't particularly that he felt the blonde had changed – although he knew the blonde did – it was the fact that Naruto seemed to barely exist in this house.

The place was dusty, there were cobwebs in the kitchen – the _kitchen_, a place someone would be everyday. And even in the blonde's own bedroom, there were so few of things.

It was like the blonde didn't even live here anymore.

Sasuke stepped further inside the room. The bed wasn't made and parts of the sheets were on the floor, and there was a large dresser—the one that had been originally for the master bedroom.

Sasuke wondered why on earth the blonde would change rooms. Was it because the other one brought back so many memories? The same reason why he changed the carpet?

It was like Naruto was trying to forget.

Maybe Sasuke had been wrong to come here, to give a…proper goodbye. To seal it off forever. Maybe the blonde had already moved on. Sasuke…didn't know how he felt about that.

It wasn't sadness. No. It was…surprise. Yes. It was surprise.

Had Naruto been telling the truth about the wood being old? Did the sounds have nothing to do with anger?

Sasuke had to shake his head at that. That was a lie if he ever knew one. He knew something happened up here that Naruto didn't want to tell him about.

Sasuke found himself gazing at the walls of the bedroom. There were a few framed pictures of Naruto and some of the others of the town. The largest one was of him and the late Sarutobi.

There were no pictures of Sasuke.

Sasuke laughed a bit. It was almost as if he regretted that, when he knew very well that that _wasn't the case._ He was just surprised to find that the blonde had found it so easy to move on was all.

Sasuke shook his head. What was he saying? It had been six years. Of course the blonde had moved on. Who would hold onto something as doomed as the relationship he had with Sasuke?

It was just that…

Naruto—

Naruto had been so in _love_ with him.

And Sasuke loved him back. Just not in the way he thought the blonde needed. Not in that unconditional way Naruto radiated effortlessly, infinitely.

Sasuke couldn't handle love like that. And Naruto was only something that held him back from becoming what he wanted to be, held him in this lazy county where no one became anything and everyone's dream was to be a wife or husband with kids.

It was better this way, Sasuke thought resolutely.

The raven-haired man stared blankly at the room, finding all traces of the relationship that he had with Naruto gone. "Huh." He said lightly, before turning around to leave the room.

"Hey."

Sasuke started violently, then tried masking his surprise with anger, "What is it?"

Kakashi looked around the room from the doorway. "You sure Naruto would have liked you in here?"

Sasuke blinked and looked around. If this was anyone else's home it would be pretty rude to just up and roam around their house. But it wasn't some stranger's room. It was Sasuke's. He shrugged his shoulder indignantly. "Whatever."

"It isn't _whatever_, Sasuke. You're invading someone's privacy. How'd you like it if someone up and invaded your guest room?"

Sasuke's laugh was bitter. "As if they'd have the pleasure. The idiot's making me sleep on the couch."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "Is that so…"

"And, he's making me pay to stay here. Two thousand and some dollars a day."

Kakashi widened his eyes for a single moment before he chuckled. "Well, now."

Sasuke frowned. "I know I owe him," He started bitterly, "but this is too much. I want you to talk to him. Make him come to senses so I can live here in peace."

"Doubt he'd listen to me."

"Why the hell not?"

Kakashi looked up at him, as if to ask if he really had to ask. "He doesn't look too kindly onto me anymore, Sasuke. Not since I helped you escape the county."

Sasuke said nothing, and the older man had to shake his head.

"Sasuke, I funded you—helped you get rid of that accent you called "infuriatin",—neglected Naruto when he needed help so much that he had to actually look up to that damned drunken fool _Jiraiya_—" he couldn't help the anger in his voice. "But the greatest sin I made against him was keeping all of those secrets from him. Feeding him lies of not having to worry about you, just so you could escape without him noticing—"

"That shouldn't make him hold a grudge against you for six years." Sasuke interrupted, voice indignant.

Kakashi laughed again, and shrugged his shoulders. "Naruto…doesn't…" he seemed to be at a lost for words. "He doesn't look at me with mean eyes, or says nasty things behind my back, or tries to pick fights with me—he didn't even really do that in the beginning, when you'd just left…" he looked to the side, acquiring that distant look again. "Come to think of it…I think if he'd done all those things, it would've made this guilt I feel a little easier on me…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" The man wasn't making any sense.

Kakashi looked like he wanted to smile again, but the effort got lost somewhere. "The thing is…" he began softly. "Naruto doesn't…hold grudges _against_ you, or _to_ you…he just holds them. Lets it fester. Doesn't ever mention it again, lest you're the fool to bring it up." Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "He'll never let you in on what he's thinking about. I've apologized hundreds of times to him…but he just gives me that same smile. It's an ugly smile, I'll tell you. Because it's hiding so many things. So much pain…"

Sasuke stared at his old teacher for a moment longer before he laughed. Kakashi had obviously lost it. "Thanks for that insight," he offered mockingly. "but I think I'll be on my way now." he said, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Kakashi asked.

"Downstairs. Get some more paperwork done."

"Hmm. Did you eat?"

"Of course not." Sasuke was scowling. " The idiot didn't have any food in his cabinets. I'll annoy him about when he gets home."

"But it's mining season."

"So?"

"Naruto probably won't be home until midnight tonight." Kakashi said, speaking as if Sasuke should know this. "Work probably ends at around five in the afternoon. Afterwards he'll probably feed them if he isn't giving them lunch right now. Then he'll take the workers that can make it to Gracetown's Bar."

Realization came over Sasuke. Yes, he remembered. The miners that come from out of town had the option of staying in Gracetown, which was a small village not to far from the center of the county. There were two large hotels, and a few places to eat. Most popular being the Gracetown Bar. Konoha natives went there often – just to make friends and hang out with their fellow miners. He and Naruto had gone many times.

"Come with me if you're hungry. " Kakashi offered, getting into his thoughts. "I'll take you to Yamanaka's Diner. They should have some good specials around this hour."

Sasuke stopped for a moment. "Yamanaka? As in _Ino_ Yamanaka?" he asked in surprise. "You mean to tell me she actually got that thing running again?"

Kakashi smiled. "Shikamaru convinced her that she could run it even with her father's passing. And after those two got married, she was even more sure of it."

"Huh. Married…" he mused. He didn't really remember what kind of relationship the two had, except Ino screaming all the time, and Shikamaru telling her to shut up. "Whatever, let's go to the diner then."

"I should warn you." Kakashi said, walking down the hallway alongside him. "Ino is sure to be there. Maybe some others. I wouldn't be surprised if she gave you a rather rude welcoming."

Sasuke smirked and shrugged. He also remembered how Ino was absolutely infatuated with him when they were younger. Bent on marrying him and such. "I think I can handle her."

"She's pregnant."

Sasuke paused and looked at Kakashi with a raised eyebrow. "Is that suppose to lower the chances of me being able to handle her?" he asked.

Kakashi only shrugged back. "Maybe not. After the diner, it'd be nice to go to the bar."

They'd just finished the stairs now, and Sasuke stood at the end of it, crossing his arms. "Why would you want to do that?"

"I want to see how it's going. Oil mining is the only thing that's kept this town up, you know. It's a nice sight to see hard working men enjoying themselves."

Sasuke waved a disregarding hand. "Right" he said tiredly. He would agree to go the Bar because he'd already been through the worst—he met Naruto and was still standing on two feet. Seeing a bunch of drunken fools and perhaps some old friends wouldn't hurt.

* * *

"Hey, hero."

Gaara looked up from his spot on the ground to stare up at Naruto.

"Mind if I join you?" the blonde was peeking from behind a large boulder, quite similar to the one he stood on to oversee the miners back on the field, and looking at the redhead who sat on the ground directly in front of the county lake. Of course multiple kids were already splashing around in the lake several yards away, and some other miners had the same idea, only on the other side, so the blonde didn't have to worry about anyone listening in.

"No."

Naruto cracked a grin. And he told himself it was because he was trying to defer any attention towards them, not because he was mindlessly delerious at how wet the man was. He'd obviously just dunked his body in the water.

"I saw what you did in the mines just now." Naruto casually took a seat beside him, stretching as he did. "Pretty heroic of you, if I do say so myself." The large rock behind him was spiked so he couldn't lean against it. He didn't mind though, as he took off his plain boots and put his on feet in the water.

"I was closest to the kid."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You think anybody was calculatin' the distance they were from the boy when they decided to sit back and do nothin' about it?"

Gaara seemed to hesitate, before he looked back at the lake, saying nothing.

Naruto sighed loudly in pleasure when he fully incased his feet in the cool water, closing his eyes and letting the liquid caress his sore feet. When he opened them again he found Gaara looking at him once more. The blonde laughed and pulled himself together. "I reckon I was more tired than I thought." he explained with a small shrug.

The man beside him didn't really reply, simply gave a non-committed hum and went back to looking across the lake.

Naruto looked dismally at the redhead's profile.

It really _was_ a shame, he thought, his eyes reluctantly going over the redhead.

He was sitting with one knee to his chest while the other leg lie flat on the floor. One arm hung above the knee to his chest while his body leaned forward, showing the stress of muscles on his bare torso, to look out into the green water.

"How you likin' Konoha so far?" Naruto asked, and his voice was softer than he meant it to be.

There was silence on the other end for some time, before the low voice spoke again, in unison with the wind that blew through his red hair. The blonde watched that wind blow, watched as it caused red locks to caress a pale face.

Naruto looked at the waters with the man.

There was something about him.

Gaara.

Naruto brought his own knees to his chest.

There was something about him that made the blonde feel some type of way. Something different than the coiling above his groin this time. There was a calmness about his presence.

It was as if this man was in no rush. As if he could look out into these waters forever, get lost in them, and never have to worry about anything ever again.

But he couldn't think like that, Naruto thought, glaring at the water now. He had to think about what would happen once he exposed this man for the lying outlaw he was. He also had to assess exactly how much strength was behind those muscles, if Gaara got violent once exposed.

"It's strange."

Naruto blinked, turning to Gaara. "Yeah? Konoha? How so?"

And again the blonde was taken aback by the neutrality in the man's features. The tranquility he had in his posture that would have looked lazy were it not for the strength he could see in the man's limbs.

Naruto didn't think he saw hesitation in his features, but Gaara took his time to speak. "Just never been given food by my employer is all."

Naruto took a look at the white bag that lie in between them that had a sandwich on top - untouched. "Uh…well I know you guys work hard." Naruto nodded at him. "I remember what it was like when I was down there back in the day. Would have given anythin' to have a break and eat somethin' in between. Figure'd I'd be a nice little boss to all these folks. Ain't nobody ever been nice to you before?" he asked, laughing.

"No."

Naruto hesitated, caught off guard. "W...well…there's a…first time for everything…?"

"I 'spose."

Naruto swallowed. "Yeah."

Damn it.

He was—

He was _nervous_.

He hadn't felt this way since—

Naruto shook his head. This was ridiculous. He felt like a damned _teenager_.

And boy did he know how to pick 'em. Sasuke was a rotten, deserting asshole and this man was an outlaw who he was probably going to be fighting in a few minutes.

Why did the first time he felt anything remotely close to the buddings of a crush after Sasuke left have to be with someone like Gaara? Naruto wished he could like a nice guy for once – someone who he couldn't misjudge, someone who wouldn't let him down.

The blonde stood up then, his mind made up. No more mister nice guy. He had to get rid of this man as soon as possible.

"You remember my partner?" he asked the redhead, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at him.

Gaara turned to the blonde, seeming to catch onto the sudden change in mood. He began to untangle himself from his casual position. "Saw you fightin' him this mornin'." He answered easily. His eyes didn't look cautious, or apprehensive. He looked at Naruto with a passiveness that made the blonde wonder if the redhead understood what was going on.

"That fight wasn't nothin'." Naruto replied, disregarding, and anyone else would have said "didn't look like nothin' to me" but the redhead stayed quiet. "But me and my partner got to talkin' yesterday," he continued. "Got to talkin' about who I hired and who I could _trust_." Naruto looked away. As he recalled the story he found himself getting angry. He _was_ stupid wasn't he? For letting an outlaw work in these parts. For letting kids work here, when he clearly stated that they weren't allowed. Maybe Shikamaru was right. Maybe he wasn't fit for this job.

But he'd thought…

The blonde shook his head.

The only time he monumentally fucked up about a person's personality and their trustworthiness was with two people. Naruto thought he would never do it again. He _knew_ people. He could tell from the their eyes whether they were good, and _this man_—

This man was an expert liar it seemed. A master of his emotions.

"He got me thinkin'," he continued, "about what I did for you, lettin' you get this job just 'cause you _looked_ all right." Naruto hoped Gaara didn't catch onto the inadvertent double meaning like Naruto did, but the redhead showed no signs of that, only continued to stare up at the out-looker.

"But Shika told me – and mind you Shika is a smart man – he knows everything." Naruto insisted. "And he told me that Suna prisons don't set their prisoners free when they don't have enough money; they _kill them."_ he glared at Gaara then, and uncrossed his arms to point an angry finger at the ground.

"So what that means," He whispered hotly. "Not only are you an outlaw, but you are a _liar_ who took advantage of my empathy, and—"

"Ain't a liar."

Naruto blinked, effectively interrupted.

The man didn't raise his voice at all, but it had acquired a certain…tone.

Gaara surprised Naruto by standing up in a single motion and approaching him.

Gaara was tall. Taller than Naruto anticipated. He'd seen him stand the day before but the blonde had been sitting down then. Up close, with them face to face he could see that the redhead was almost a head taller than him.

Green eyes stared down into blue, not glaring or insisting, simply neutral, like the lazy way his arms still stayed at his sides in a non-violent stance and his feet were pointed away from Naruto, un-braced and defenseless.

"Wh...what you tryin' to say?" Naruto tried to sound to sound calm, and understandably suspicious.

But his heart.

It was beating fast in his chest.

The man wasn't close.

But he was close enough.

Just three feet away from Naruto.

And Naruto's heart.

Why was it racing that way, when he knew, _he knew_—

"Ain't a liar." Gaara repeated, interrupting his panicked thoughts. "I never lie, and I hate liars."

Naruto glared up at the man, not intimidated by his height, but intimidated by his presence, and confused about the feeling it put in his body to have the man standing so close. "You lied to me in my face." He insisted. "You said that they set you _free_—"

"That's exactly what they did." Gaara interrupted, and his eyes looked away from his accuser and narrowed at the distant lake. "Or they tried." He clarified, his voice quiet. "Main guard said he was gonna free us all, since there wasn't no money to keep the place runnin'." He paused. "Then he took out his gun and started shootin' everyone in each cell one by one."

A light wind drowned out Naruto's sharp intake of breath.

"People like us, he said," the redhead continued. "scum like us, can only get freedom in death. So he went about settin' everyone free. He came to my cell, tried to set _me_ free... and I didn't let em'." Gaara turned to face Naruto then, his green eyes not losing their listlessness but losing a chip of the neutrality. "And that's all I wanna say about that."

Naruto blinked hard before he took a step back.

God, damn it.

The man took his breath away.

His eyes. His face. His voice.

"You can fire me," Gaara said suddenly, bending down to retrieve his belongings on the floor. "I won't be here much longer, I don't think."

"Wh-ere you goin'?" the blonde stuttered, watching the man from above.

"South." He replied simply, as he stood up. "I enjoyed workin', even if it was for a day—"

"Now hold on," Naruto raised both hands and stopped them inches from Gaara's chest. "Did...did anyone else escape?" he asked, voice quiet.

"...No."

Naruto swalowed, eyes wide and watering up with his lack of blinking. "I..iffen," he started slowly. "Iffen you ain't a liar then I don't see no reason to fire you."

Gaara stared at him. Finally, "I ain't a saint." he went back to picking up his things from the ground. "I knew what I was doin' when I didn't tell you all the details."

"Well take advantage of my good will then."

"I don't take advantage of people."

Naruto paused, at a loss for words for a moment. "Then…think of it as a favor…from me." He offered carefully, trying to keep his voice steady. "I mean…I know I look stupid, and maybe a little gullible – but I ain't. I knew from the start that you wasn't…gonna be a problem for us here." He took a hand and rubbed the back of his head. "I just…I had to make sure. It's my first time hirin' and overseein' the mines. I wanna do this right."

Gaara's eyes didn't pierce or narrow. They was as still as the waters of the lake during the coldest day in winter. "You don't look stupid."

And his voice was like an after thought, like the words fell from his mouth because it was an obvious fact, not just some sweet-talk to get out of trouble. "But I ain't as nice as you think I am." He murmured, stepping back.

Naruto watched him turn around and walk all but two steps before he called out, "N-now hold on."

Gaara stopped walking, and only turned his head slightly to the side to show that he was listening.

"Uh…I dunno iffen the word spread yet. But I usually take the workers out to Gracetown Bar after work. Free drinks for everyone's hard work. I know you're new so I figured…I'd uh…tell you about that…"

Naruto wanted to shoot himself. That would go down as the worst attempt at asking anyone out for a date in history.

"I don't live in Gracetown like the others."

Naruto blinked. He didn't live in Gracetown? That was strange. Ninety percent of the workers that didn't already live in Konoha lived in Gracetown, and if they didn't it was because they already had family in Konoha that they could live with. Naruto didn't know why he figured the redhead to be sort of a lone ranger. "W-well, if you're worried about getting' back home – don't worry, I'll take ya!" he gave a thumbs up. "I'll probably be drunk, but hell, when am I not, right?" He broke out into a nervous laugh then, and with every burst he was dying a little on the inside.

He sounded downright ridiculous.

Despite his passive look the redhead looked a little out of place. Finally, "I'll see if I can make it, I 'spose."

Naruto beamed at him. It wasn't a promise and it wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as he would have liked that statement to be but he was giddy anyway. "All right, then!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands like an idiot. "I-I'll let you enjoy your lunch. I'll call everyone out when it's time to get back to work."

"Yes, sir."

The blonde shook his head. "Please…call me Naruto."

Gaara eyes narrowed, and Naruto braced himself before he realized that gesture wasn't malicious. "Naruto." Gaara repeated.

"Yeah. Uzumaki Naruto, at your service."

Gaara gave him a lightly pointed look, like he was trying to figure the man out. "I think it might be the other way around…" he murmured, sitting back down and taking his bag of lunch.

Naruto stood above the man awkwardly, hands still together from that nervous clap he made. "Uh…well." Gaara looked at him expectantly. Naruto swallowed. "I guess I'll…be…on my way then. I'll see you later?"

The man before him seemed to take him in for a moment, before he nodded his head. "I reckon you will. Naruto." He added.

Said blonde didn't know what to do then, so he gave a small salute. "Ha…r-right then."

Then Naruto promptly turned around and sped walked back across the large street to where the mining fields were.

Hot damn, if that wasn't the most _embarrassing_ display of nervousness... He paused when he crossed the street, and put his hands on his knees for a moment. His heart was still hammering at his chest.

The blonde closed his eyes and tried to relax.

Hot damn, hot _damn_.

When he finally loosened up and stood up straight, he saw Shikamaru standing ahead, eyeing him with narrowed eyes and his arms crossed.

"What happened?" he asked when the blonde reached him. "You look sick. Did he give you trouble? How'd you get rid of him?"

Naruto blinked. "Ah…that's the thing. I uh…didn't get rid of him." he admitted. He winced when Shikamaru glared something mean at him. "Listen, Shika – he ain't what you think he is. He's all right. Trust me on this one."

Shikamaru made a sound of frustration that Naruto didn't anticipate, and threw angry hands in the air. "If that guy causes _any_ trouble it's on you, Naruto." He said angrily. "And trust me if that has to happen you can guarantee you ain't runnin' the mines ever again."

The blonde stared wide-eyed at his friend. "_Shika_," he started disbelievingly. "It ain't a big deal—"

"_There_." Shikamaru said, pointing at the blonde. "That's where you're wrong. _It ain't a big deal?_ Next thing you gonna tell me is that some kid getting flattened by a rock ain't a big deal either, right?"

"Shika, what the hell is wrong with you, right now? These accusations is really pissin' me off and you ain't makin' a lick a' sense."

Shikamaru crossed his arms again, and breathed deeply with a glare still in his eyes. He looked around them once, checking if anyone was near, before he stepped forwards and leaned so he was casually whispering into Naruto's ear. "I _recognize_ him." he whispered hotly.

"Who? Gaara?"

Shikamaru stepped back, eyes wide. "Gaara…" he said in wonder, not really looking at Naruto. "Sabaku Gaara." he said, remembering the name on his own. He looked at Naruto then. "I don't remember what he did, but I remember seein' his face on a bounty flier about four years ago when I was travellin' with the wife. He had more an' ten thousand dollars over his head."

Naruto breathed in sharply. _Ten thousand dollars? _That was a lot of money for a bounty. But still. "You said that was four years ago," he began slowly. "Suna prisons is now shut down. And he talk like he'd already been incarcerated. They done caught him, and set him free, Shika."

"Did he tell you that?" the older man spat. "And you _believed_ him?"

"I know how to read people, Shika-."

"Yeah, just like you knew how to read _Sasuke_, right?" he combatted savagely, before turning around angrily and walking away.

Naruto just stood there, stunned. "Th...that was a damned low blow, Shika!" he shouted, trying to get back on his feet. Shikamaru who was already several yards away waved an angry disregarding hand and just continued on his way. Naruto huffed angrily. Damn that man.

"What the hell's been going on with you and Shika."

Naruto yelped, and turned around to face Kiba who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow and a half eaten sandwich in his hand.

"N…nothin'" he replied lamely. "He and I are just…buttin' heads for the time bein'."

His dark haired friend eyed him suspiciously for a moment before he nodded to the crowd of people who were scattered all around them, munching on their lunches, talking to people, and darting their eyes between the ground and Naruto. "Well ya'll best start arguin' in private." Kiba murmured. "You know what these folks are like in the summer. If the boss is angry, everybody's angry, and next thing you know there'll be a big brawl and somebody somehow gonna accidentally set fire to the mines." Kiba spat something gross on the ground. "And we don't want that, do we?"

"The mines ain't gonna burn while I'm in charge." Naruto murmured, glaring at the fields ahead. He felt Kiba slap his back.

"I know, Toad. I know."

Naruto sighed, effectively drained for the day. How was he going to make it for the rest of the afternnon? "All right then." he said, clapping once. "You round up yours and I'll round up mine. Time to get back to work." He turned to the crowd. "Fellas, get back to your stations! Lunch time is over!"

Groans and sighs all around.

Naruto kept an eye out for a patch of red hair, and saw it in the distance, followed by others who had decided to have their lunch by the lake. And just like that most of the tension fell off of Naruto to collapse at his feet. He sighed and breathed in, keeping his smile in check lest an onlooker found him silly for seemingly grinning at nothing. Naruto exhaled.

He really hoped he would see Gaara at Gracetown tonight.

* * *

End of Chapter

8,450 Words!

**Authors' Note:**

Well that's that. Simple questions, and what to expect of the future:

1. **You guys like what you saw of Gaara so far?**

2. **Is Shikamaru over-reacting or is his anger completely justifiable?**

3. I**s Naruto being irresponsible?**

Uhm, okay – So I think the next chapter will be a treat - unless you guys don't like drama & confrontations. You can expect Drunk Naruto, more confrontations, maybe a few tears (not sure about that) and Sasuke & Gaara will meet! I wonder what they'll think of each other!

Till next time.

P.S I'm sorry for any grammatical errors - I know they're in there. Also **Danse Macabre** is probabyly going to be updated today for anyone waiting on that.


	5. Frictions and Life Stories Part I

**The Burning Mines**

**VI**: _Frictions and Life Stories Part I_

* * *

"It just can't be."

Sasuke sat at the bar of the large diner, hands folded in front of him and head down at the menu when he heard the woman's voice. He looked up.

Ino Yamanaka.

The blonde woman exhaled breathlessly, eyes staring wide at Sasuke. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir. It's just that you look a lot like an old friend."

Sasuke leaned back in his chair, gentle smirk already finding a way to his face. "Was that old friend named Sasuke Uchiha?" He answered easily, turning the smirk into an easy smile. He knew that look in the woman's face. He'd been getting it all day, ever since Kakashi decided to park his pick-up at the edge of this district so Sasuke could see some of the new things in town.

Sasuke knew what he looked like. Time had been good to him. Turning his attractive boyish features into one of an incredibly handsome adult's, strengthening his jaw, broadening his shoulders, raising his height. He was 21 when he left Konoha. He was 27 now. He was a _man_ now.

Ino Yamanaka just kept staring at him.

Sasuke chuckled, and he knew it was the kind that melted girl's hearts. "Will you be the one to take my order?" he asked, picking up his menu.

Ino, whose mouth had been on the floor a moment ago, snapped her jaw back up, closed her eyes and gave Sasuke a dazzling smile. "Of course, Sasuke." She said, bowing her head and looking put-together in a way she didn't before. "What can I get you?"

Sasuke narrowed dark eyes at her, before he put the menu down. The contents were new but he knew what he wanted. "I'll have the veggie burger. No cheese, no mayo."

Ino ducked her head for a moment to laugh as she wrote into her pad. "Same order as always I see. You haven't changed a bit."

"I'd like to think that I hav—"

"Would you consider tryin' some of our melon pie?" Ino interrupted, turning to Sasuke with a smile that absolutely beamed.

Sasuke blinked. "Uh…no. I don't really like sweet things."

"Yeah, I remember you not havin' much of a taste for sweet things…" she trailed off, eyes looking searchingly in Sasuke's. Finally she blinked and stood straight. "Which is why I think you'd like this pie a lot." She said, walking to the end of the bar. She took a pie out of a clear glass dome and brought it over.

Sasuke raised a hand and an eyebrow when she brought it. "Uh…No, please. I don't like pie in general." He laughed delicately, trying to mask his slight bemusement.

"Naw, you'll like this one." Ino countered, taking a knife from beneath the counter and cutting the man a small slice. "You see the melon in this pie is pretty sweet, and I know you hate sweets. But it's the way you _serve_ the pie that'll really give it that flavor. And I think you'll really like it once I—"

Sasuke didn't have nearly enough time to react, when the woman, who'd finished cutting one piece of the pie, took that small piece aside, then took the remaining tray of dessert and aimed in right at Sasuke's face.

"— serve it just _right_!" she exclaimed when she was done.

She held the tray in the brunette's face for a long time, twisting it for good measure, before she pulled her hand back and let the tray fall on Sasuke's lap.

He heard small gasps around the diner, which was empty for the most part, and a few people started laughing, Ino being the loudest.

Sasuke on the other hand, was at a lost for words. He kept his eyes closed, and he kept his mouth shut.

But he could still smell the sweetness of the dessert, caking up on his clogged nose.

In the thirtieth second of his old friend's relentless giggling he decided to take a hand and swipe the cream and fruit custard off of his face. He didn't smile, and he didn't frown. His face was stoic as he stood up from the stool chair in front of the bar.

"What's going on here?"

Sasuke didn't even glare at Kakashi, who was finally out of the restroom.

"I leave you alone for a few minutes and you're already in this much trouble, Sasuke?" he laughed.

"You knew he was here?" Ino asked him between laughs. "I thought I was imagining things."

"Then we're both imagining the same things—"

Sasuke abruptly left the idiots at their small talk and made his way to the bathroom. His face was calm but he was seething inside. Obviously Ino hadn't matured one bit. He would expect this bullshit from someone like Naruto six years ago – maybe even now. But not fucking Ino. Pregnant or not.

"I think we hurt his feelings." He heard Kakashi say as he disappeared inside the bathroom.

Sasuke went to the sink first and foremost, and glared at his reflection. He didn't even want to think about what the white custard looked like, caked all over his hair and his face. He sighed and turned on the sink, frowning when he saw how meek the discharge of water was. Glancing around the bathroom he found more reasons to sneer.

What the place needed was a maid. Or a make-over – because although nowhere near as ridiculously filthy Yamanaka diner was when he was younger, it was still small, it still had dust on the floor, it still smelled slightly off, and was that a fly he saw in the corner of the bathroom?

He sighed and washed his face. It took about ten minutes, which was an enormous deal since it had taken Sasuke two hours to get ready before he allowed Kakashi to take him out. And now all that work of doing himself up was gone to waste.

The button down shirt he had on was a hot mess, and trying to clean it was almost as disastrous as trying to take the pie off his hair had been, so he just took it off and threw it in the trash, grateful that he'd worn an undershirt underneath. His black pants were a mess, so it was no use doing much with it except try to take as much white off of it as possible.

He left the bathroom looking like he'd lived in Konoha County his whole life, and had never left. Wife beater undershirt, dark pants with stains on them, damp dark hair. He heard more than a few people sigh pleasantly when he walked back to where Kakashi was, only choosing to sit one seat away from where he sat before. It would be up to Ino, and whatever staff she had, to clean the mess of pie she made on the stool chair and floor.

"Well look at you." Ino commented. She was half leaning on the counter and talking to Kakashi. "Tall, dark, and handsome. You got all the ladies runnin' after you in the city?"

Sasuke didn't look at her. "When will my order be ready."

"Ho, ho – did I get you all frazzled up when I slammed that pie in your face?" she asked, smirking. "Tell me Kakashi, did I _frazzle_ him?"

"Sasuke, don't be rude."

Sasuke tore his head to the side to glare at his old mentor. "Don't be _rude_?" he asked disbelievingly.

Ino came up in front of him. "Kakashi tells me you're here for the funeral," she began quietly. "Naruto see you yet?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her, hoping the glare in them would make her go away, the way it used to when they were much younger, but the woman only smiled at him, expectant of the answer.

"He was the second person I saw after Kakashi." He replied, sighing angrily and giving in.

To his surprise the blonde's eyes widened in some kind of shock. "Really? You guys back together again or something?"

"Of course not." Sasuke couldn't believe she would even suggest such a thing.

Ino squinted at him. "That's funny. 'Cuz I woulda bet my money you wouldn't have been able to stand on two legs if you showed your face to Naruto after all the these years."

"Well you would have lost your money," Sasuke countered angrily. "Listen, if you're going to be this way, I can find someplace else to eat—"

"Oh, Sasuke—"

"Now, now," Ino said, interrupting Kakashi, standing back and raising her hand in a small surrender. "Let me just try to understand a few things." She began. "You show your face here after all this time and expect _not_ to be hit in the face with one of Yamanaka's special melon pies?"

Sasuke glared at her. "We're adults now, Ino. If you don't want me here, just tell me to leave."

"Well if Naruto forgave you I should forgive you too." She shrugged.

Sasuke squinted. "The dobe is far from forgiving me."

Ino stared at him. "Then how you even still _alive_?" she asked, and the question sounded genuine.

"Because murder is illegal in every County – even this dump." Sasuke retorted easily.

Ino's eyes glowed. Literally glowed. She turned to Kakashi with a smile that looked insane. "Kakashi, did he just say what I think he did?"

"I—"

"Tell me, Sasuke," Ino interrupted the white haired man and turned back to the brunette. "When you say dump, you meanin' my diner, or Konoha in general." Her hand fumbled underneath the counter before she took out a knife and raised it. "Be careful what your answer is, or else we both gon' be findin' out just how _illegal_ murder is Konoha County."

Sasuke stared at the woman. She wasn't really going to stab him. Was she? He looked at Kakashi. The older man was looking lost and apprehensive.

"Now, Ino – no need to get violent in your own diner."

Ino twitched but didn't tear her bright eyes away from Sasuke's.

Sasuke had officially decided. This woman was crazy.

He stood up from his chair noisily, eyes still on the blonde. "I think..." He began slowly, careful not to let the fear show in his voice or his face. "I'm going to take my business elsewhere."

Ino looked at him, eyes turning further and further into slits, before she suddenly pulled her head back and started laughing her heart out.

Point proven, Sasuke thought disbelievingly, referring to the woman's insanity.

"Sit back down, you big oaf!" Ino exclaimed, putting the knife down with a clank. "I ain't gonna hurt you." she ducked her head and raised her eyes so the green orbs looked large and sympathetic. "Sorry If I scared you. But the Sasuke who left wouldn't have had none of that, I tell you—"

"The old Sasuke is still here." Kakashi interrupted, smiling lightly at the two of them. "Somewhere. He'll come to his roots before the week is over."

Sasuke glared at his old mentor. What the hell did that mean? Come to his roots?

"From suit to drags," Ino murmured, looking at the brunette's attire. "Kakashi told me you went to some school to be a businessman in the City. I for one couldn't stand to see you in that damn suit." She leaned back and smiled something sweet and genuine. "But you look pretty good now if I do say so myself."

Sasuke scowled and sat back down angrily in his chair. "Hitting someone with a pie just because you don't like the way they're dressed isn't very becoming of—"

"Oh, God, no, Sasuke. We get plenty of people in suits 'round here. Yesterday was full of em' – you know it's time for the summer minin' season, right? People gotta apply—"

"Yes, I know all about it. What are you trying to tell me."

"I'm tellin' you that I didn't discriminate you 'cause you was wearin' a suit."

Sasuke squinted at her. "Uh…okay?" he offered.

Ino nodded. "I discriminated against you 'cause you're a rotten asshole, Uchiha Sasuke." She clarified. "And I just want you to know, the only reason why I haven't stabbed you in the forehead with this knife, is because I want Naruto to have the first jab."

She said all of this with a soft unnerving smile, so Sasuke found himself trembling a bit in his seat.

"She doesn't mean that—"

"No, I mean every word." Ino said, countering Kakashi once again. "Now, Kakashi your order will be up in a few minutes. Sasuke," she turned to smile at him. "Sit tight, it's gonna be a while."

Sasuke glared at her, but she turned away and went through two double doors before he could catch her eyes. The brunette angrily turned to his mentor. "Let's get the hell out of here." He whispered harshly. "Coming here was obviously a bad idea."

"Relax, Sasuke. She's only just joking. She's trying to look out for Naruto."

Sasuke huffed. "Naruto can take care of himself – and I thought you told everyone I was here already."

Kakashi shrugged. "I thought it would be a nice surprise for everyone. Not everyone will be as mean – especially since Naruto hasn't done anything to hurt you yet." The man hesitated a moment. "You know…Naruto didn't tell them the whole story. Not really."

Sasuke raised a cautious eyebrow at the older man. "What do you mean?"

Kakashi leaned on the counter and rested his chin on his folded hands. "Well…the days following your…departure…he didn't speak to anyone really." Kakashi's voice was quiet, so no one else would overhear. "He kind of went about his day normally. Except he would go home earlier. He preferred to be alone most of the time… When someone eventually asked where the hell you'd gone, Naruto said that you two had been having on-going fights about your futures. He said you wanted to go away, and that he wanted to stay. He said that you guys finally made a decision to go separate ways, and that you'd left to fulfill your dreams in the city."

Sasuke's eyes widened and kept widening. What? Naruto hadn't told him…

"No one knows about the letter you left him. No one knows that you left without really saying goodbye. No one really knows that I was the one who…" Kakashi paused. "Except I think Shikamaru knows, somehow. He figured something was off and asked Naruto, and finally beat the information out of them. They're sort of best friends now, those two."

Sasuke stared ahead, disbelieving. Naruto hadn't even told everyone the whole truth. "So…everyone just thinks it was a mutual break-up?"

Kakashi nodded.

"Then why the hell is Ino threatening to kill me?" he asked though his teeth.

"'Cause Naruto wasn't right when you left, and people need someone to blame." Kakashi responded easily.

Sasuke relaxed as much as he could in the stool chair, making him look a bit like a hunchback.

"Plus you gotta remember what you did to Ino before you got together with Naruto…" Kakashi murmured.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. It was ridiculous to think that far back, and to attribute it to what was going on now. The fact that he'd made the female blonde believe he liked her that long, and then suddenly decided he loved Naruto instead wasn't something he could have helped. She should have been over it by now. "She's married, and with child. She can't be thinking about that."

"Far as I can tell, I think that's all she's thinking about. You two weren't on friendly terms six years ago either."

"Her and Naruto are on friendly terms though. Even when Naruto and I started dating."

"Not in the beginning …" Kakashi murmured, scratching the back of his ear.

Sasuke glared at him, and looked at the sky to show his annoyance. "I don't know why we have to eat here of all places."

"Because this place has the best tasting food." The older man replied easily.

As if on cue, Ino came from the back of the room with a tray in her hand. Unsurprisingly it was Kakashi's order and not Sasuke's. The brunette looked a this watch. It was already 4:50.

"You got somewhere to be, Sasuke?"

"Away from here." He didn't even look at Ino.

Kakashi laughed nervously. "We'll be going to the Gracetown Bar after this." He clarified. "At this rate we'll be there at the same time all the workers come in, at like 6, 6:15. First day of mining so I'm guessing the diner will be shutting down soon as well." He predicted, nodding at Ino.

"In about an hour or so."

Sasuke remembered now, how big of a deal the first day of mining was. Nearly everyone would be in Gracetown, getting drunk at the two bars and celebrating another season of work. The same thing would happen again once they hit the first point of oil, then again when mining season was over.

Sasuke thought it was a stupid waste then, and he thought it was stupid waste now. People going crazy over oil mining? It was just an excuse to party it up, get drunk, and get laid by some lonely woman who wanted to feel the muscles of a foreign man who worked at the mines. Why was he going again?

"Naruto made my staff work all night yesterday tryin' to make lunch bags for those hard workin' souls. Busted nearly all my fingernails. But what I'd give to see the look on their faces when Naruto said they'd be givin' em' food for their hard work!" She beamed at the both of them.

"You're going to be making food for them everyday?" Kakashi asked disbelievingly.

"Not everyday." Ino clarified, wiping her hands on her apron. "Probably once a week or so – but every day for the little kiddies – did you hear there are boys as young as thirteen workin' over there?"

"I heard. They get younger every year, you know."

Ino nodded, and leaned over on the counter. "Anyway, I'd love to make them meals everyday but there just ain't enough money, or time for that. But I'll tell you somethin' –" her voice became hushed. "I think Naruto's got a fortune hidden somewhere."

Kakashi leaned in as well, eyebrow raising. "What fortune?"

Sasuke on the other hand, narrowed his eyes. Fortune? Were they talking about the money Naruto was forcing him to pay to live at the house?

"Yep," Ino nodded. "Naruto paid for every single bag of lunch up front, you know. Every single one. Handed over the bills like he had money comin' out of his ass."

Sasuke hesitated. That…couldn't be his money, because Sasuke hadn't even paid yet.

"I think it has something to do with Sarutobi dyin'." Ino whispered, leaning back and looking sad. "There probably was a premature will readin' we don't know about. I think Naruto inherited a lot of money."

"Sarutobi wasn't rich…" Kakashi murmured, looking down at his food. "Was he? And if there was a will-reading I wasn't invited to it."

"That's the thing. Sometimes the will already says who the deceased person wants to be allowed there. It was probably only Naruto. And I think all of Sarutobi's things went to him…"

There was silence between the three for a long time.

But Sasuke was seething inside. Naruto had money, and was taking money from him anyway? What the fuck kind of person did that? Sasuke was well off but he was sucking Sasuke dry for the week – and that would have been fine in the long run because he'd thought Naruto didn't have a lot, and Sasuke was always generously replenished of his savings after a weeks-worth of business. But the fact that Naruto somehow had some money on the side and was leeching from Sasuke anyway?!

"V-veggie burger, no cheese, no mayo." Called a voice from the side.

When Sasuke looked up he saw another familiar face.

He raised his hand and the dark haired woman fumbled over to where he was. "H-here's your food, sir."

"Don't you recognize him, Hinata!?" Ino asked, slapping the girl's back. "It's our Sasuke come back from the city to grace us with his royal presence!"

The girl blinked at the brunette, before the realization came to her eyes. "O..oh." she replied lamely, but nodded to Sasuke anyway.

Sasuke forced himself not to roll his eyes. How could Hinata still be this shy after so many years. "Your cousin and I run into each other sometimes." He offered. The Hyuuga family owned a lot of Konoha county's business's, including a small part of the oiling industry. But he and the Hyuuga often did business with the finances Hyuuga had a hold of outside of Konoha. Mainly in Sound City.

Hinata's face, for someone reason, heated up. "O..oh."

Sasuke thought he knew why. Neji and Hinata were in some kind of one-sided competition to inherit the title of head financial liaison or figurehead for Hyuuga finances. Sasuke was pretty sure Hinata just gave the position to her cousin, even though she was directly next in line and the actual daughter of the previous figurehead. She wanted to live a simple life instead.

Sasuke wasn't so sure she and her cousin were on the best terms.

"Eat up, Sasuke. We'll give you another, on the house. It'll help you soak up the alcohol you'll be drowinin' in tonight."

Sasuke ignored Ino, and took his burger into his hands. It looked fantastic and juicy, in a way that only Konoha County could make it.

But he wasn't going to tell anyone that.

* * *

"Put your shovels and axes down, we are _done_!" Naruto followed his exclamation with his fists in the air and head to the sky.

There was a continuous roar of happiness and the sounds of tools clanking haphazardly on the ground.

"To the Gracetown Bar!" someone down below shouted, and cheers and fist pumps followed.

Naruto grinned down at the crowd who was fooling around with each other and heading out of the fields. It was a thirty-minute drive to the bars and several county buses were already waiting on the main road to pick the men up. Some people would get off early and decide not to go to the bar, but most would, as was the norm for the first day of mining.

Naruto hopped down from the boulder he stood on and landed quite gracefully on the ground.

He was excited, to say the least.

He looked around for a familiar head of red hair, but didn't find it. He frowned. He should have stayed up and watched out for Gaara from above. But now all he saw was a cluster of people, getting along, patting each other on the shoulder, and making their way to the buses.

No one had red hair.

Naruto squinted, looking around some more. He'd hoped he would be able to offer Gaara a ride…

Shrugging his shoulders, he made his way to the front of fields, where Kiba would be waiting for him. He'd promised he would give the man a ride to Gracetown since he'd crashed his car not even two weeks ago.

Kiba was there of course, talking to Shikamaru when Naruto arrived. Shikamaru saw him first.

The pointed look in his eyes was anticipated. "You plan on getting drunk tonight, Naruto?" he asked when the blonde was in hearing range.

Naruto grinned at the man, but it felt more like he was grinding his teeth. "I dunno, Shika – are _you_?"

"Course not. 'Cause you see I got a wife that I need to take care of and drive tonight. She's a priority, and she's the reason I can't drink." Shikamaru glared at him. "But you wouldn't know anythin' about _priorities_ now, would you?"

"Why _you_—"

"Hey, hey." Kiba interrupted the both of them and stepped in between them. "You really think it's the best time to start anything? People is way to excited. God knows what they'll do when they see you two fightin'."

Naruto didn't stop glaring at Shikamaru from behind Kiba. In the distance he could hear the first buses starting to driving away.

"Now, Shikamaru tells me that there's someone we need to look out for in the fields?" Kiba turned to the blonde fully then, and squinted him. "You got somethin' you wanna tell me, Naruto? Somethin' havin' to do with a guy you shoulda never hired—"

"Oh, for God _sakes_!" Naruto exclaimed, turning away from them both and raising his hands in frustration. "Are we really talking about this _again_?! Shika, I done told you, to _trust me_ on this one." He growled, turning to the man. "And Kiba – did he tell you who the man in question was? Well he was workin' in _your_ part of field. Did you see any foul play? Did anyone _look_ suspicious—?!"

"Any man with half a brain won't make an enemy of himself on the first day," Shikamaru countered, trying to step up to Naruto but being blocked by Kiba.

"I think that's besides the point," Naruto said, getting quiet. "You know what else I think? I think it's about time we look at some facts." He pointed a finger at Shikamaru." Those facts bein' that_ I_ was hired to be the head hirer, overseer, and _boss_ to this operation, therefore what _I_ say, is what goes, until this fucking season is over, or something bad happens. Until then, I don't wanna hear none of this!" he ended with a shout, and stepped back. "I listen to you Shika 'cause you always got sense, but right I think you need to shut the hell up and just let me run this shit."

Naruto's breath was coming out heavy. He didn't even know why he was so angry. All he knew was that he wanted to go the Gracetown. Get a bottle. Get drunk.

Naruto blinked. "Now that that's settled…" he breathed, trying to smile at the both of them. "Let's go Kiba. See you at the Bar, Shika."

He began to walk away, and when he looked at the main roads he saw that all the busses had already left for Gracetown.

"I'm only tryin' to keep everyone safe, damn it!" Shikamaru yelled behind him.

"I'll _see you._ At. The _bars, _Shikamaru_." _Naruto enunciated with frustration, turning around for a moment. He caught Shikamaru glaring fiercely at him, and Kiba looking confused between the both of them. The blonde waved a tired hand and kept on walking. He really, really did not have time for this.

"Hey, Naruto wait up!" Kiba was running after him. When he caught up he put a hand on the man's shoulder. They kept walking. "Toad…you ain't still got that…drinkin' problem right?" he asked tentatively, and the sounds of their shoes on the ground were louder than his voice.

"I ain't an alcoholic no more." Naruto replied curtly. "I can manage now. Ain't gonna be like before – I can hold my liquor."

There was silence from Kiba for a few moments, before he nodded his head. "Good." he said, shrugging his shoulders. "That's good, Naruto." He shook the blonde a bit, and grinned at him. "I thought you were over it too, y'know. I knew it was just a phase. Naruto? Drinkin' problem? Naw."

Kiba kept talking. Even as they got into Naruto's car. The blonde only half listened. He didn't know why Shikamaru's voice kept spinning in his head.

_No one ever stops being an alcoholic._

_You only get better at holding your liquor._

Naruto was in a sour mood all the way to Gracetown Bar.

* * *

Naruto was on cloud nine.

Or rather—

Cloud number eight.

He would reach cloud nine once he had _one _more drink.

Just one more.

A woman who was much older squealed in his ear as he tried to make his way back to the bar and danced around him. The blonde laughed aloud and took her hand, spun her around once, before letting her go on her way.

Everyone was laughing.

Everyone was dancing.

The two Gracetown bars were right across from each other, and they were both absolutely packed, dozens inside the bar, and close to hundreds littering the streets in between them.

It was like a festival, what with the lights that lit the outside, and the music that played so loud they'd decided to bring the speakers outside so it would be like one big party.

No one had anticipated so many people would be working in the mines this year, and one thing led to another and here they were.

Partying it up Konoha County style.

Naruto lost count on how much he had to drink. He and Kiba had started lightly, since the bar was so packed with sober workers and the mood didn't call for heavy drinking yet in the beginning. But as soon as everyone began to feel the first buzz, there were drinking games, competitions, mini-brawls—

It was amazing. Naruto wished every night was like this. With everyone just loose and happy.

He'd lost Kiba a long time ago to some woman in a corner, but he'd found some of his old friends.

Then he'd lost them too.

And then he made some new friends.

Naruto laughed aloud when he was shoved to the side by an older looking man. Said man started laughing too when he saw that the blonde was, and so they just stood there laughing for some time.

"Don't have a hernia, Toad!"

Naruto felt rough hands on his shoulder turn him around.

"Kiba!" Naruto exclaimed, positively gleeful. He hugged his friend. "How was that girl!?" he had to shout over the music.

"Nothin' to brag about – she didn't even let me feel her up!"

Naruto laughed like Kiba'd said the funniest thing and hugged him again.

Kiba pulled his back and held the blonde's face so he was staring into his eyes. "How much did you have to drink?!" he yelled over the music.

"Not enough!" Naruto shouted back.

"Ain't that the truth!"

"To the bar!" the blonde cried, throwing his fists in the air.

Kiba roared with him, starting to head over with his friend, when he paused.

"Wait," he called out turning around.

Naruto blinked. "What?" he looked around confused.

"Do you hear that?"

Naruto looked at his friend, confused when—

_Sometimes, it's hard to be a woman—_

His eyes widened. "Oh my God!"

Everyone seemed to get the same idea, and there were cheers from all the women as they ran outside of the bar to go outside where the music was louder. Everyone was already singing along.

_Doin' things that you don't understand—_

"If this song don't get me laid I don't know what will!" Kiba exclaimed, following after the crowd.

"Wait, wait – ain't we gon' get drinks first?" Naruto asked, pulling at his friend and looking a bit like a lost puppy.

"But the ladies, Toad, the _ladies_," Kiba pleaded with his eyes.

The blonde laughed and let his friend go. "Don't swing that way remember?!"

Kiba visibly hesitated. "Oh, shit I forgot." He said in wonder. "You wanna try it?" he asked suddenly. "I'm sure if you just get your hand on a _nice_ titty, you'd start swingin' my way Godspeed—"

Naruto had to duck his head and brace himself with the laughter that racked through him. The blonde waved Kiba away, grin still on his face. "Go get your ladies, Kiba."

The brunette seemed to pause, before he actually saluted him, and ran outside.

Naruto turned back around, and saw that the bar was still crowded despite so many having gone outside. All he would have to do is walk over there, have the people see his face and they'd give him an order of his usual three shots of whiskey on the rocks. He made his way over, grinning at the people who bumped into him, twirling around the dancing couples—

And he almost didn't catch the head of red hair that hovered at the very end of the bar, with broad shoulders that accompanied it, hunched and alone.

The lazy smile Naruto had on his face fell.

He swallowed.

It was like a sudden wind picked up inside the bar and sent a small chill along his arms, starting goose bumps there.

Naruto exhaled once.

He'd nearly forgotten all about the Gaara. He'd come into the bar so angry, and then he started drinking and…time got away from him.

He made his way over.

And it was like everyone parted aside without him even having to ask, or shove, as if they knew how fast Naruto's heart was beating, and how important this moment was for him.

And the moment felt slow. Gradual. As if he was gliding towards the redhead, floating instead of walking.

And Naruto had no choice but to believe he did float, because he was already there. Right behind Gaara.

He did the only thing his inebriated mind allowed him to do.

He shoved his way next to the man and turned to him, grin wide.

"Hey, handsome."

Gaara's movements were slow. He had his cheek lying on his hand, and his eyes turned to face the blonde slowly without moving his head. He seemed slightly surprised when he saw Naruto there, and sat up. Unbelievably, the redhead looked around him, then behind him, as if the blonde couldn't have been talking to him.

"Gaara!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'm talkin' to _you_." he laughed then, then laughed some more when the taller man still looked slightly confused. Over at the bar the music wasn't as loud, so Naruto didn't have to yell so much. "You enjoyin' yourself so far?" he asked, nodding at the drink he saw in Gaara's hand. "Makin' any new friends?"

Gaara blinked once. Before he shrugged. "Mos...…elf."

Naruto cupped his ear when a sudden chorus of sounds drowned the man's words. "What was that?!" he asked.

The man before him hesitated, before he leaned in to say the words in Naruto's ear instead.

And Naruto almost didn't hear the words again, he was so caught off guard. Gaara was so close to him at that one moment. And he smelled like the earth when the sun was peeking over the horizon after a night of rain.

"Said I mostly keep to myself." The man repeated into the blonde's reddening ears.

Naruto's body ached when Gaara leaned back again.

"Aww, that don't give the girls who must have crowded around you all night much of a chance!"

Gaara raised the ghost of an eyebrow at the blonde. "You're the first person to talk to me all night."

Naruto tried, and predictably failed, to hide his glee. "_What_?" he tried to act upset. "Now, I don't _believe_ that! Well, I'm here now and I'll give you company 'till it's time to go home."

"You…don't have to do that."

"Nonsense," Naruto waved a hand. "I want to. Gaara," he said, leaning closer to the man, and trying to really catch his eyes. "I'm really glad you're here."

Again, Gaara seemed not to know what to do with that information, or the sweet smile Naruto gave to him. "I don't—"

"Oh – wait!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at the sky. "Just _listen_ to that, Gaara." He closed his eyes and sang, "_Stand by your man! Give him two arms to cling to_!" he missed more notes than he hit, and when he opened his eyes he saw the redhead with his head down, and a secret smile.

"Now don't make fun of me! I've been told I've got the voice of an _angel_!"

The look in Gaara's eyes said he cautiously doubted that, and the small quirk of his lips was enough to make those intoxicated butterflies flap in Naruto's stomach.

"You know, what?" Naruto started, trying to keep his nervousness at bay. "Somethin' tells me you ain't _nearly_ as drunk as I am – Hey! Over here!" Naruto called out to the bartender.

The female went over to them, flustered and eyes wide. "You want the usual, Toad?" she asked quickly.

"Yea, two for me and my friend here."

"You got it."

"That ain't necessary," Gaara began, but it was already too late. The bartender was already filling the glasses and slamming them on the table in front of the two.

Naruto took his cup, and raised it. "You _can_ take your liquor, can't you?" he asked, a mischievous smile on his face.

Gaara seemed to realize the challenge in Naruto's eyes, and his own eyes narrowed a bit before he picked up his own drink. The only thing that made it not so malicious was the redhead's own somewhat mischievous half-smile. "Experimented with a bit of white lightnin' when I was a kid…" he murmured, and Naruto could only hear him because the song died out just then.

"White lightnin'?" he mouthed back, eyebrows raising. "You mean, moonshine?" He laughed then. "Well I bet I can still drink you under the table, mister Gaara Sabaku." He bowed his head gracefully then, and took the drink to his lips.

Gaara looked slightly astonished. "We got work tomorrow…"

Naruto smirked at him. "Oh, if you too _chicken_…"

To his surprise, Gaara glared at him once, before he downed the brown mix he had in his glass. He didn't even wince when he'd come to, only put the glass on the table and look at the blonde with what Naruto could only describe as a smug look.

Naruto's laughter was choked out of him. "W-_well_!" he exclaimed, disbelievingly. He drowned his own glass in a quick motion, and slammed the glass back on the counter as he hissed out the sting in his throat.

He wiped his mouth, squinted through the tears in his eyes, and coughed once.

The knowing look in Gaara's face was too much to bear.

"Oh, you're on!" he declared, pointing a finger at the redhead. "Bartender! Two more right here!"

Naruto thought he heard something like a low chuckle come from the redhead, light and barely there – more like a breath than anything else.

The sound was enough to make Naruto melt.

_Now_, he was on cloud nine.

* * *

Sasuke didn't know how the hell any of these people were drunk. Did they come with their own drinks? Because every time he made his way towards the bar he was pushed backwards, or the bartender would ignore him for several minutes trying to get to the dozens of people with outstretched hands and money bills in their hand.

His only saving grace was the countless drinks that suddenly appeared in front of him, bought by some other woman at some other part of the bar. He accepted the drinks without looking around, so he wouldn't have to catch anyone's eye.

Six sweet mixtures of alcohol later, he considered himself just a tad inebriated. He didn't' drink often often when he lived in Konoha County for his own personal reasons, but those reasons seemed not to matter when he was in Sound City. People got together, celebrated big deals, merging cooperations, weddings – and alcohol was always served. After a while drinking alcohol with the rest of everyone became something that he had to do to uphold an image at executive socials. Sakura taught him that.

So he supposed he was drunk. But he could hold himself together. He decided he was done for the night, which meant there was literally nothing left for him to do here. But he'd lost Kakashi in the very beginning of the festivities to a woman who was even younger than Sasuke was. That would mean he would either have to find his own way home, or actually wait until the old man showed up.

Both choices were unacceptable.

Sasuke was outside now. He'd been pulled by a woman when that God forsaken old wive's song had come up, and taken outside. He'd pulled away from the woman and just shoved her into another man's arms, annoyed that after all these years Konoha County women still went crazy for that stupid song. Said song was almost as old as the town was, and it always meant the festivities were close to an end.

Twenty damn songs had passed since then, Sasuke thought bitterly. He was just standing around, trying to catch a head of white hair in the outdoors. But there were many. He didn't know Kakashi to be much of a drinker, so maybe he was looking for Sasuke too?

"See? I told you."

Sasuke turned around.

Then he groaned.

Here it comes.

"Holy shit." And that was Kiba, looking a mess as always, with dark hair that spiked all over the place and his canine-like teeth. "Is it really you, Sasuke?" he asked, disbelievingly.

A familiar bowl-cut individual stood behind him, pulling Kiba back so he could move ahead and really peer into Sasuke's eyes. "It is him!" Lee exclaimed.

The raven-haired man narrowed his eyes at him. Lee hadn't really grown up with the rest of them. He'd moved to Konoha County from somewhere up north when they were all teenagers. He was slightly older than all of them. Sasuke had no idea why Lee of all people would act like he'd missed Sasuke or something. They did not start on friendly terms and never sought to build any friendship after their first encounter.

Ino and Shikamaru were behind the two of them. Ino looked like she was enjoying herself. She had a glass of something bright in her hand that Sasuke hesitated to call alcohol since the woman was pregnate.

Shikamaru looked just a he did six years ago. Bored and tired.

Sasuke nodded, however reluctantly, at them all. "Kiba. Lee. Shikamaru."

"Welcome back, my friend!" Lee exclaimed, but the other two didn't look as enthusiastic.

It was obvious Kiba was drunk beyond the point of no return, as he pointed a wavering finger in Sasuke's direction. "You really gon' show your _face_ 'round here affer all dese years?" His words were almost slurred beyond comprehension, and Sasuke pulled back when the other man's famous dog-breath hit his face.

"I'm just here for the funeral." He said, and he was glad the music wasn't as loud as before, allowing him to speak normally.

"Yea? Not even to see the friends you abandoned?" Kiba asked, his voice surprisingly comprehendible. "You got _any_ idea what you did to Naruto when you left?" he growled.

"Kiba, Kiba," Shikamaru said, coming up and pulling at Kiba's arm. "We don't need to start somethin' now. You know some of these people got guns."

"Well when _can_ we then!? 'Cause I'm just about ready to knock this guy's teeth out!"

Sasuke took a step back, eyes widening at the anger he saw in the other man. He wanted to blame most of it on the alcohol but he knew he couldn't. Kiba was just expressing feelings he would have probably repressed if he were sober.

"Take a walk Kiba, go blow of some steam elsewhere." Shikamaru was saying.

Sasuke was trying to step back from the four of them. He really didn't need the drama. "If you guys are just going to yell at me I think I'll just be on my way—"

"Hold up, Uchiha." Shikamaru again. "Lee, go with Kiba. Sasuke, come with me."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the man, asking if he really thought he could just make Sasuke come with him by just asking. But the look in the older man's eyes made him reconsider his attitude for some reason.

Shikamaru began walking away, obviously expecting Sasuke to follow. His wife looked between them for a moment before shrugging and following after her husband.

Sasuke growled under his breath and trailed after them too.

And he didn't even know why. He shouldn't have had to follow them.

Shikamaru took him a little ways away from the festivities, but their convening probably didn't look suspicious.

Shikamaru turned around and looked at Sasuke with his hands in his pockets. Sasuke stopped a few feet away from him. He felt awkward with his empty glass of alcohol still in his had. "Well?" he asked, when the man didn't begin for a while. "What is it?"

Shikamaru narrowed brown eyes at him. Finally he ducked his head, and shook it. "Now, I don't know what Kakashi is doin' paradin' you all around town and makin' you run into people from your past," he murmured. He looked up then, eyes not malicious but Sasuke could still see he underlying threat in them. "But I think it would be best if you stayed down low 'til the funeral…and went on your way back to the city like you were never here." He finished.

Sasuke made a small sound at the back of his throat, before he stepped forwards, slightly angry. "You don't think that's exactly what I've been trying to do!?" He asked disbelievingly. "I wanted to pass by here like a breeze, but Kakashi—"

"Pass by here like a _breeze_?" Shikamaru actually chuckled. "That why you decide to impose in on Naruto's home instead of get your own hotel room?"

Sasuke hesitated. "I…I have my reasons for doing that. All of which are none of your damn business."

"Of course not." Shikamaru murmured, eyes looking searchingly in Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke stared back at him, trying to catch his breath – where had it even gone?

"Sasuke." Shikamaru said suddenly, taking his hands out of his pockets. "Do you…have any idea what you even did to Naruto?"

The brunette sighed loudly, exasperated. "Everyone keeps asking that. Oh, what you did to Naruto this, what you did to Naruto that – he shouldn't be hung up on a break-up that happened six damn years ago!" he exclaimed. "None of you should! You should be glad, fuckin' left, 'cause the way I was feelin' back then I woulda shot down every goddamn person in this town if I couldn't get away!"

Shikamaru stared at him.

"Sasuke your accent."

Sasuke turned to Ino quickly. He'd forgotten she was even there. His accent? What the hell was she talking about?

To his surprise Shikamaru surged forwards and pointed a finger at Sasuke's chest, seemingly un-phased by Sasuke's confession. "I don't care why you left, Sasuke." He hissed at the man. "Just know that Naruto ain't right when you're around. He's irrational, he ain't thinkin' right, and he's drinkin' all the time 'cause it makes him feel good – but once you leave again, it's just gon' be him and the damn bottle and we don't _need_ that—"

"The bottle?" Sasuke squinted down at Shikamaru. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Shikamaru stared at Sasuke. "Your leavin' turned Naruto into an alcoholic, Sasuke. He's good at hidin' it from other people but since you're livin' in his home I thought you would have figured that alrea—"

"He's a _what_."

Sasuke didn't even bother hearing the rest of Shikamaru's words. The heat in his face had nothing to do with the alcohol, nothing to do with the weather, but everything to do with _anger_. "Don't fucking play with me." he warned quietly. "Naruto's a fucking idiot, but he's not a damned _weakling_."

Shikamaru breathed heavily out of his nose. "That's right." he began carefully. "I remember. Your _father_ was an alcoholic wasn't he?"

Sasuke jerked away from Shikamaru and turned around. "Where the fuck is he?!" he growled, stalking back towards the bar.

"What the hell do you plan on doin?!" Shikamaru called out from behind him.

Sasuke ignored him and surged past the crowd.

There was no way.

There was just no way Naruto would be so weak as to fall for alcohol when he knew how much of mess Sasuke's father was, how much Sasuke suffered under the hands of an alcoholic.

He didn't know why but he knew the blonde would be inside the bar somehow, because he would have been able to see the shock of blonde hair outside and he didn't see any of that. He didn't know which bar he would be in, so he guessed and went to the one with the least amount of people. He vaguely heard Shikamaru calling out from behind him again.

"Naruto!" he shouted when he was inside. A few people gave him weird looks, but most laughed, or didn't hear him because the crowd conversation drowned out his yell. He called the idiot's name again, but nothing.

Growling, Sasuke shoved passed more people, raising his head so he could see the familiar head of spikes.

Nothing.

People moved against him, laughing and scowling, having fun, and wanting to leave. Faces were shoved against his and Sasuke was almost knocked off his feet a few times, but he would find the blonde and find out some real answers if it was last damn thing he did.

Naruto, an alcoholic?

Fucking impossible.

He whipped his head back and forth, just about ready to give up and try the other bar when he found it.

The shock of blonde, spiked up and moving in what had to be laughter, at the very end of the bar.

Sasuke felt the anger surge into him again, and he charged through the people in his way. There were considerably less of them on that side of the bar, and he found himself in an area where men and women just stood by the wall and casually slipped their drinks. He suddenly had a clear view of Naruto sitting at the bar, spinning in his stool and laughing—

With another man.

Sasuke's hesitation was almost violent. He pulled back a bit, eyes widening – not at what he saw – but at his reaction to what he saw.

_What_?

Sasuke took in a difficult breath.

The other man. He had his head ducked, and a strange soft smile on his face while Naruto out-right burst out laughing in his face.

The other man. He watched Naruto's hand every time it landed on his knee, every time it appeared before his face to flick his red hair or his nose with eyes in wonder.

The other man. He was tall. Handsome. And kept his hands to himself as Naruto practically slobbered all over him, eyes like stars, and movements sloppy—

Sasuke twitched.

He didn't even realize when he found himself less than ten feet away from the man.

"Plastered out of your brains is unbecoming of you, Naruto." He growled out.

He thought the blonde wouldn't have been able to hear him, but Naruto paused in whatever nonsense he was telling the man he was with to suddenly turn and face him.

Their eyes caught. Dark brown with crystal blue.

Blue eyes widened, and looked over at the brunette, no doubt thinking of how Sasuke looked with his simple white t-shirt and stained jeans, before they dimmed to accompany a lopsided smile. "Sasuke."

Sasuke seethed. The fucking idiot.

He hated that smile, he hated that _fake_ fucking smile.

And the memories of his and Naruto's first encounter came back to him, with the blonde in the kitchen pouring glass after _glass_ of glowing gold Whiskey –

He made his way up the blonde so their faces were only inches apart.

"Tell me it's not true, Naruto." He hissed.

Blue eyes blinked at him. "What ain't true?" And the confusion in his eyes was genuine.

"Tell me that you're not a fucking _weak_ piece of _shit_, who would sink so _low_, as to allow a break-up to drive you into _fucking alcoholism_!" His voice had gotten so loud by the end that most of the conversations around them had suddenly stopped, leaving the muffled sound of the music from outside and the left side of the bar the only things in commotion.

Naruto's face fell like shattering glass, and the blue in his eyes could only shake in their orbs as he stared at Sasuke.

"W..wha—"

"Why am I even fucking asking?" the brunette hissed. "When I saw it with my own two eyes. I can't believe Shikamaru had to tell me before I realized it for myself!" Sasuke was so angry he couldn't even breathe right. "How could you do this, Naruto?! When you knew what my father was like? When you knew how much I _hated him_? What's your fucking excuse, Naruto – 'cause it's not like _your_ wife died."

Sasuke felt the alcohol really inflating him then, making him see red, and filling his mind with the incredible disappointment he felt towards the blonde.

He wasn't going to leave here before he taught Naruto a lesson.

* * *

Anger…

His anger _choked_ him.

Naruto's eyes were so wide he felt they would fall out his sockets.

And Sasuke's final words…

_When you knew how much I hated him._

"H..how _dare_ you." his voice was shaking and barely above a whisper.

_What's your fucking excuse. _

"How fuckin', _dare_ you," and there was that growl he wanted, appearing at the end of his voice and punctuating his sentence for him.

_Not like you wife died._

He didn't realize when he was standing from the chair, forcing his ex backwards and getting even more in his face.

"You tellin' me—" And Naruto couldn't even say the words, he couldn't breathe – "You tellin' me I should have some respect for your drunkard father's _memory_?" His voice died in the end evaporating into a breath. "You sayin' I can't have a problem, 'cause it _offends_ you?"

Sasuke didn't hesitate with the retaliation like Naruto expected. His response was quick. "That's exactly what I'm saying, _dobe_." He seethed. "You're fucking pathetic, more pathetic than the man I left behind, if all it takes is someone leaving you to turn you into a damned alcoholi—"

"You God damned, _asshole_," Naruto said through his teeth, suddenly shoving Sasuke's chest with both hands.

The brunette stumbled back but didn't fall. "Look at you," he growled. "You fucking disgust me; too fucking inebriated to even throw a decent—"

"You wouldn't _want_ me to fuckin' punch you, Sasuk—"

"No, no, I _want_ you to!" And Sasuke sounded almost as crazed as he did. "Your hits will be as, if not more pathetic as they were six fucking years ago, and you wanna know why!?" he shouted, bringing a finger back into Naruto's face. "Because you haven't grown one bit, Naruto! I thought you'd changed – I thought you'd matured – but you've fucking _regressed_, Naruto, you've fucking –!" he shoved Naruto back, and his eyes looked as wild as a boar's. "As _if_ you weren't on the verge of being a _fucking degenerate_ before, you've somehow managed to degenerate even more, by becoming a _damned_ _ALCOHOLIC!_"

He shoved Naruto back then, with the intent to hurt him, but something caught the blonde before he could bang against the bar, and then there was a broad back standing in front of him instead.

"And who the fuck are you?" he heard Sasuke spit ahead of the person blocking him.

"I think it's best you leave now." Was the deep tenor that sounded before him.

Naruto clenched his fists. Gaara.

Gaara trying to protect him.

"Why don't you back the hell away from me so I could talk to my _fiancé_?" Naruto heard Sasuke growl.

Something snapped in the blonde. "You _fucking_—" Naruto shoved Gaara aside so he could glare at the brunette with crazed eyes. "You god damned bastard, what the fuck did you just call me?"

Sasuke showed no fear still, and Naruto could tell from the redness of his eyes that he probably wasn't being himself. But still, "You got no damn right," he hissed. "No god damned right to call me that no more—"

"Naruto—"

"Stay away from me!" he yelled, pushing passed Sasuke too. "All of you just fuckin' leave me alon—"

"D…dobe! Where the hell are you _goi—"_

"I'm goin' the fuck home!" he shouted, making his way towards the door and shoving passed people to get there.

"You aren't going anywhere until you—"

And then there was a hand grabbing Naruto's shoulder, and it was like something steam powered forced Naruto spin in in one motion, fist already pulling back, then spring forward to sock the unfortunate face in it's way. And it was like rubber burning on cement, only his fist was the cement, and Sasuke's face was the rubber.

Sasuke – who was falling on the floor, screaming and cradling his cheek.

Naruto left the bar in a flourish, and people let him pass without him having to shove them. There were scuffles behind him but he didn't care.

He just wanted to go home.

Fuck Sasuke.

Fucking, _fuck_, Sasuke.

Tonight had been such a good night—

"Naruto? Naruto!" called out a new voice.

Naruto felt the anger bristle across him again, full force. He turned around and started walking backwards so he could face the man. "_You_," he pointed an accusing finger, "you fucking stay _away_ from me, Shikamaru!" he screamed, before turning back around again. He was already away from most of the crowd, making his way his truck parked at the end of street.

"Naruto, slow the hell down!"

Naruto turned around again, "You really had to tell him that, Shika?!" he yelled, and his voice betrayed the tears that were welling up in his eyes.

He saw Gaara right behind Shikamaru, passing the man and making his way towards Naruto faster than him.

"He didn't have to know what I been through!" he shouted. "He didn't have to know what he did to me!"

He was by his truck now, and he stood in front of it angry out of his mind and holding the tears in for the life of him. "And all ya'll think I'm some kinda pathetic fuckin' idiot! All ya'll think I'm like this 'cause somebody _left_ me –" his voice was a mess now, with him sniffing, but damn it he would _not_ let the tears fall. "Didn't any of you think, for one second, that maybe it ain't 'cause that one person left, but because _everybody_ fuckin' left?! I can't trust nobody to stay with me 'till the end – not my parents, not my fiancé, not fucking Sarutobi—"

"Naruto,"

The blonde whipped his head to the redhead's who was standing but a few feet away from him, eyes cautious, and slightly wide.

"What?!" Naruto screamed at him. "You gon' give me that alcoholic bullshit too?!"

"I just think someone oughta take you home, is all."

"Naruto let _me_ drive—"

"For the _last_ time, you stay away from me, Shika—"

"At least let somebody drive you home, Naruto—"

"I'm FINE—"

"I'll do it."

"Not _you_, outlaw." Shikamaru ordered disbelievingly. "What is he even _doin'_ here, Naruto?"

Naruto paused in front of his truck to put his face in hands and sigh in exasperation. "Fuck this," he declared tiredly, before he just decided to ignore them both and make his way towards the driver's seat.

"Get in the passenger seat, Naruto." And that was Gaara, still close to Naruto but bringing the blonde no pleasure with that fact.

"Just because I'm _drunk_—"

"You're angry." Gaara's voice didn't sound pleading, only factual.

"I've drivin' drunk and mad before." And Naruto, suddenly feeling like he couldn't fight anymore, leaned against his car door and stared up at the redhead above him. "Ain't no trick to drivin' pissed."

"Ain't safe."

"You're drunk too." Naruto moaned, flopping his head to the side and pouting like an angry child. He was just so damned tired of all of this. "Please, just let me—"

"Let me take you home."

Naruto turned his head back around to stare into the green eyes that bore into his.

Another exasperated sigh left his lips, and he made his way to the other side of the vehicle, the passenger side.

"Naruto, wait!"

The blonde ignored Shikamaru then, too fed up to do anything. He was tired. He was mad. And he was tired.

Tonight was a disaster.

And it was a shame because it was only a small part of it that made it that way. Ninety percent of it had been fantastic. Because—

Gaara was looking at him expectantly.

Naruto exhaled tiredly and handed the redhead his keys. "Just make a U-turn and follow the road 'till you see Konata…" he murmured.

Gaara took the keys and started the truck without preamble, and he graciously ignored the tears that Naruto couldn't hold in anymore. He didn't grimace or sob. He only let them fall.

In the distance, he saw Sasuke running out of the bar, turning his head from side to side trying to spot Naruto.

"Fuckin' hell." Naruto muttered, laying his forehead on his hand and turning his eyes away.

He couldn't even enjoy the company he had with him in the truck.

Only Sasuke could ruin something so monumentally for him.

When he peeked his eyes out the window once more he saw Sasuke's eyes land on the truck as Gaara made the U-turn, and the lost look in them, the betrayal he saw in them, made Naruto bite his tongue and look resolutely away.

Fucking hell.

* * *

_End of Chapter_

**Authors Note:**

TNT. _We Know Drama_.

Haha, so yeah. That's that. Sasuke gets with his roots, Naruto and Gaara have a cute little drinking contest, Sasuke goes overboard, Naruto cries – BUT NOT IN FRONT OF HIS ENEMIES – and Gaara takes him home.

Again (I don't know why I do this) but this chapter was gonna have a lot more happening – having to do with exchanging life stories and such – but once it hit 10,000 words I was just like – okay Sapphire, this isn't LFFB jeez, put a lid on it. But I think a lot happened in this chapter!

The "Life Stories" part will be in the next chapter and we'll learn a lot of Gaara's & Naruto's life while they're in…very close quarters ; ). Just remember I like to take relationships slow and steady so don't get too excited haha.

Peace & Love

Oh yea, and since your answers really help me figure out what to write for the next chapter:

1. **Anybody hating Shika right now?**

2. **How do you think Sasuke should redeem himself once he sobers up in the next chapter? ; )**

3. **Aaaaaaand – I probably should have made Ino do a lot worse than throw a pie at him, shouldn't I? =/**

Till next time : )

P.S I apologize for grammatical errors! =/ I know they're in there. all UP in there.

P.P.S I have a strange and emmense array of country songs in my iPod and my favorite is **Tammy Wynette's, "Stand By Your Man"** - I'm not sure if it was ever a popular song, or if anyone even likes it anymore, but I figured I'd use that in this chapter.

P.P.P.S -** IM REALLY SORRY**, but I might have to take a break from Burning Mines and Danse Macabre (after DM's next update, which will probably come later today) TO WORK ON LIGHT IN THE FIFTH FLOOR BEDROOM. =/ Soo, yeah.


	6. Frictions and Life Stories Part II

**The Burning Mines**

**VI**: _Frictions and Life Stories _Part II

* * *

The party was over.

Sasuke had tried to find Naruto after he'd come to senses. But he found the familiar blue truck driving away just as he'd dashed outside of the bar. Later he'd been stopped by Shikamaru, who had demanded what the hell Sasuke had told the blonde inside, but Sasuke had refused to answer, trying instead to find Kakashi. The insufferable man had been nowhere to be found for almost half an hour, but as soon as people began collapsing on the ground and heading on home, he'd found his mentor in the corner of the other bar, swapping spit with a woman who was much younger than he was.

Sasuke'd generously pulled Kakashi away, demanding to be taken home.

And so here they were.

"Sasuke, do you have any idea what some of these people are saying?" Kakashi was slurring, putting his hand on his forehead. "Koko tells me that Chiya told _her_ that _Mimi_ saw you fighting with Naruto in the opposite bar." Kakashi yawned. "Just tell me that's not true so I can sleep peacefully tonight.

Sasuke didn't look at his mentor, only glared ahead. He remembered how fast news travelled in the country side. "Forget about it."

They were on their way to Kakashi's truck now. He'd parked very far from the festivities, so as to avoid any accidents with any inebriated individuals, but he was probably regretting it now.

Kakashi was squinting ahead, and looking very lethargic. "Forget about it, huh? I guess something happened after all." He muttered, sounding disappointed.

"Nothing happened that the idiot won't forget in the morning." Sasuke replied angrily. "You should have seen how fucking drunk he was _and_—" he turned to Kakashi, eyes narrowed. "And why didn't you _tell_ me Naruto was an alcoholic?" he demanded.

Kakashi stopped walking, his eyes widening a bit. "He actually told you? Well, that's a surprise. I didn't think Naruto knew it himself…"

"Shikamaru was the one who told me." Sasuke's voice was low, and his mind still reeled over the fact that _Naruto_ of all people—

"_Shikamaru_ told you?" Kakashi sounded genuinely surprised.

"He thought I already knew because I was living with Naruto – but what the hell, Kakashi?" Sasuke growled again when the gray haired man walked ahead of him. "Why didn't you tell me? As if the idiot would have been able to keep that from me for long—"

"Idiot this, idiot that," Kakashi complained waving a tired hand. "It's because I realized a long time ago that you didn't have Naruto's best interests in mind." He tried to explain, sounding serious. "You even confirmed it yourself with your little…anti-hotel scheme. Only Naruto's close friends know about his little problem. As far everyone's concerned you're not Naruto's friend, nor are you there for his best interests so…" he trailed off, and Sasuke huffed behind him.

"Of course I'm his friend – at the _least_." He insisted, catching up to the older man. "I'm enough of his friend to get angry that he's reduced himself to—"

"Reduced." Kakashi interrupted, chuckling a little. "Did you say that to his face?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. He stopped walking and looked at the brunette knowingly. "You did, didn't you? Chiya threw some words at me that I couldn't believe. Idiot. _Degenerate_? Tell me Sasuke, what kind of friend says those things to someone—"

Sasuke sighed angrily and threw his hands in the air. "I suppose me insulting him is worse than his drinking problem, is that it?" he asked accusingly. "Just because I'm the bad guy, trying to force a little reason into his dense skull is a sin—"

"_Reason_?" Kakashi interrupted, disbelieving. "Sasuke, you probably made him feel like shit tonight. At the worse time too." He added lowly. "With his new position at the mines he can't afford to be seen in that kind of situation. Humiliated like that, in front of the people who work _for_ him." he sucked his teeth and shook a disappointed head. "After all these years you're still the same, Sasuke. People think that Naruto was the brash and erratic one because of his antics. But Naruto did them with people's feelings in mind. Always. But you?" The man scoffed. "You do things in complete disregard of them."

"Fuck you, old man."

Kakashi only shrugged. "Yeah, yeah, fuck me. It's my fault you're this way, anyway. Or at least my fault I didn't try to change you." He was walking ahead again, towards his truck. "We're the same, Sasuke. No regard for other people's feelings…" he trailed off, sounding sad.

Sasuke hissed and rolled his eyes. His mentor was obviously drunker than he was. "Just take me home." He demanded. "And I'll fix things with Naruto."

"You being there won't fix anything."

"Look," Sasuke began, annoyed. "I didn't mean to hurt him, all right? I was…angry." He explained lamely. "And still drunk, if I might add. Naruto knows how I get. He shouldn't have taken it so personally."

"You're so right, Sasuke. It's _Naruto's_ fault he got hurt."

Sasuke didn't have to look at the man's face to know that he was rolling his eyes. The car was only several yards away now. "I'll drive." He said, walking ahead.

"No you're not. And you aren't going back to Naruto's house either."

"What?"

"He'll need time to recuperate, gather his bearings. The last thing he needs is you exacerbating the damage you've made—"

"I _live_ there, Kakash—"

"No, you _don't,_ Sasuke." Kakashi said, sounding angry for the first time. "You don't live anywhere – not in this County. Your home is in Sound now. Everything you had here? Gone. No longer yours. You've made sure of that."

Sasuke clenched his fists. "Well you helped me."

Kakashi lowered his head. "Yeah…Yeah, I did." He shook his head again. "Get in the car. I'll take you back to Naruto's in the morning."

"Early." Sasuke requested hastily. "Naruto left the house at like 5:30am this morning. I want to apologize before he leaves." He finished softly.

Kakashi looked up from over the car. His response was another sigh. "Can't I just take you to the mines in the morning—?"

"No. Face to face. No one else around. That's how I want to apologize."

"You said Naruto would be too drunk to remember…" his mentor murmured, sighing.

Sasuke pleaded with his eyes.

Kakashi's response to that didn't come for a long time. Finally he tapped the car hood once, before opening the door and getting inside.

Sasuke didn't need to hear his answer.

He knew he'd gotten his way.

* * *

Gaara was a strange driver.

That was the first neutral thought Naruto had after the torrent of curses and screaming he'd had in his head for the initial ten minutes of driving.

Honestly, Naruto thought. Shutting his eyes and breathing out once again. How could that man have so much power over him? After all these years. It was ridiculous.

Naruto hadn't felt this..._sour_ in a long time. And Shikamaru. His prodding and repetitions didn't come close to what Sasuke could do but the fact that he'd _told_ Sasuke about his…his problem.

Which wasn't a _problem_ in the first place, Naruto huffed to himself, crossing his arms and glaring at the incoming and passing roads. When had his drinking ever come in the way of his work? When had his drinking ever come in the way of helping out his friends? Fucking never. He drank more than the average. That didn't make him an alcoholic. That made him a good holder of liquor.

A few years ago…

A few years ago he would have needed a drink just to get out of the _house_.

But not anymore.

He wasn't like that anymore. He had more control. He knew there was a time and place for everything. He hadn't blacked out in a year. He was good.

So how dare he.

How dare Sasuke tell him he was a _fucking_—

Naruto gritted his teeth.

How could he had fallen in love with such an asshole? Thinking back Sasuke'd always been like this. But a quick fuck and a few sweet nothings and Naruto was fine and dandy wasn't he?

The blonde scowled. Maybe Sasuke was right. About him being a push-over. A degenerate. Only an idiot could have fallen in love with such a—

"_Asshole_." Naruto seethed, closing his eyes and banging his head on the head rest. A few more deep breaths and his eyes were open again. His fingernails dug the skin on the inside of his elbows and he chewed the inside of his mouth in an attempt to calm down. He would have to if he was going to make it to work tomorrow, if he was going to plaster that smile on his face and pretend to have no idea what the fuck anyone was talking about when they asked him what had happened on between him and a certain brunette last night.

The blonde sighed and looked to his left.

Gaara.

He was a strange driver.

Naruto squinted at him.

The speed limit was 45. He was going 30.

Who went under the speed limit? Maybe the limit was thirty in Suna…

Naruto's eyes dimmed a bit, remembering how he'd screamed at the redhead earlier. Gaara didn't deserve that. He was the last person he should have screamed at. Gaara was half the reason for the _enjoyable_ part of the night.

Compared to Gaara's throat Naruto had the esophagus of a three year old. The blonde's mouth had been bleeding after the sixth shot of Whiskey, but Gaara swallowed everything like water.

He bit back a smile, remembering their little contest.

Then he shook his head. The redhead deserved an apology.

"Gaara."

The man behind the wheel looked at Naruto once, before he looked back at the road.

"I'm…I'm sorry if I'm bein' so bitter." He apologized, exhaling. "It's just…" He stopped, trying to find a way to put his thoughts into words.

He couldn't.

"That man..." Gaara began when Naruto trailed off. "He rub you wrong." He hesitated like he wanted to be careful with his words. "I understand that feelin' when someone rub you wrong. That…angry feelin'. You don't gotta apologize." He never took his eyes off the road.

Naruto gave him a small smile. "Sasuke did more than just…_rub_ me wrong." He muttered, looking out the window. "That bastard chewed me up." He gave a small laugh. "That was so humiliatin'."

"Sasuke…" Gaara was saying, eyes dimming in the distance. "Name sounds familiar."

"Yeah well he's supposed to be some hot-shot in the city so, I dunno." Naruto shrugged. "I suppose people all over the place have heard of him…" He couldn't hide his bitter tone.

They were approaching Konata already.

"Just turn left there." Naruto pointed. "The house is the only one in this little area. Away from everythin' else."

Gaara did as he was told, keeping the same speed.

"Why you drivin' under the limit?" Naruto asked grinning a bit. "You afraid of drivin' in the dark or somethin'?"

Gaara pulled up in front of the house before he answered the blonde. He put the truck on park. "You didn't put your seatbelt."

Naruto blinked. "What?"

Gaara took his hands off the wheel, and nodded to the hanging fabric on the side of the blonde's head. "Was drivin' slow 'cause you didn't put on your seatbelt."

"…oh." Naruto replied lamely. He laughed once. "You just all kinds of considerate and nice, huh?"

The redhead's mouth moved, before he seemed to think better of what he was going to say and turned to look ahead again. "Ain't as nice as you think I am."

Naruto didn't know how to respond to that. Gaara's words sounded low even with the loud silence around them. They sat in the car with only the stars giving the road light. Even the crickets were quiet tonight.

"You should head on inside." The redhead said suddenly, taking off his seatbelt.

The overseer sat up in his own seat, raising his eyebrows. "Where you goin'?"

"Back." Gaara replied simply.

"Back?" Naruto repeated, disbelieving. "You mean back to the bars?"

"No. I don't live far from the mines."

Naruto shook his head. "What the hell, Gaara? That'll take you at least an hour by foot."

Gaara stared at him. "I like walkin'."

Naruto gave a short incredulous snort. "Yeah, well there's no way I'm lettin' you walk back." he finalized, leaning forwards and rummaging in the glove compartment. He took out a strange looking bottle. "Been savin' this for a special occasion." He said, closing the glove compartment and opening the car door to step outside.

"What's the occasion?" Gaara asked, getting out of the car as well. His green eyes followed Naruto to the tail end of the truck, where he hopped inside.

Naruto smiled back at him and waved him over. "The special occasion? Well, I have a guest." He replied, grinning. "And I really don't feel like goin' inside that house right now. Even for a cold one." He raised the strange bottle. "Come on, join me."

The redhead stood outside of the truck for a moment, his eyes guarded but not so much that Naruto couldn't see the confusion in them. Finally he stepped forwards, and hopped into the back of the truck. He made it look easy, given how tall he was. He sat on one side while Naruto lounged on the other, still grinning.

"Come on, Gaara. Relax." He said, toning his grin down to a smile. He opened the steel cap of the bottle, and a strange smell descended upon them. "This thing look fancy but it's just beer." The blonde explained, showing Gaara the label. "Jiraiya…he was kinda like a teacher of mine, he gave me three of these. First time I'm drinkin' it."

"We just got done drinkin'…" Gaara pointed out lowly, watching Naruto take a swig.

"What? You scared imma drink you under the table again?" he asked, smirking at the redhead when he was done.

Gaara put his head down, but not before Naruto saw the amusement in his eyes. "Didn't really look like you were drinkin' anyone under the table to me…" he murmured.

Naruto chuckled. "Here." He said, handing the bottle over. "Have some."

Gaara looked at the bottle almost warily, before he took it, and took a sip as he was told. "It's sweet." He said, softly, looking down at the label. He looked at Naruto with a strange half smile that wasn't really a smile at all. Just the intention of one. "I like it."

Naruto grinned, taking the bottle back. "You like it, huh. Sasuke hates sweet things." The words left his mouth before he could stop them, and he bit his lip afterwards, and ducked his head. Damn.

Gaara was quiet on his end for some time. He shifted a bit. "Sasuke." He said softly. "What's he to you…?"

Naruto peeked from behind his locks of hair, and gave the man lopsided smile. "He's an…old friend." His voice was light. "Ha. More than a friend. He was my fiancé."

Silence from the redhead.

But Naruto was more concerned with the sudden and highly inappropriate sting in the side of his eyes. He clenched his teeth subtly and blinked hard to keep the pesky tears at bay. He had his smile ready when he looked back at the redhead. "That bother you any?" he asked. His smile faltered a bit, at the thought of losing this man's friendship over his past. But Naruto threw that thought away a moment later. If Gaara didn't want to associate with someone like him it would be his business. "You don't gotta pretend it don't. I know plenty of people who can't stand to be around me—"

"No."

Naruto paused, blinking at the redhead. Gaara was looking at him with eyes that didn't look scared, or particularly disgusted.

"You and…that man. That kinda thing. Seen a lot of it at the prison. Don't really bother me no more."

Naruto searched Gaara's face, his mouth parted infinitesimally. "But it…used to bother you?" he guessed softly.

Gaara's didn't look away from Naruto. "Only heard a little about that kinda thing. But I didn't think it existed before I went to jail." He confessed. "And I didn't understand it when I saw it. I reckon I still don't…" he trailed off, looking off to the side. "But I ain't gonna judge you for it. 'Specially not when you didn't judge me for bein' who I was."

Naruto stared at the man. "Huh." He tried not to break out in a smile, and only handed over the bottle again. "Well that's very…mature of you, Gaara Sabaku."

"Prison can do that." Gaara replied, taking the bottle and having another swig.

"Yeah, well I'm sure a few years in prison still won't change the minds of some of the town-folk here." Naruto complained bitterly, taking the bottle back.

"You'd…have it a lot worse in Suna." Gaara murmured. "Konoha is…a good county. With good people. Nice people."

"Yeah." Naruto agreed half-heartedly, his voice solemn. "Nice people."

Gaara looked to the blonde then, eyes a little less guarded than they were before. "Some people nicer than others." He added softly.

One didn't have to think hard to know who he was referring to.

Naruto bit back his smile, and lowered his head. "Hmm."

There was silence between them for a few minutes, with just the sound of them passing the bottle back and forth and the small winds that caressed the night sky.

"You ever just…lay back at night and look at the stars?" the blonde asked suddenly, looking up.

"Almost every night."

"Yeah?" the blonde turned back at the redhead, eyes questioning.

Gaara didn't meet Naruto's eyes. "Ain't a stranger to sleepin' outside." He confessed.

"…Hmm. Well most times I rather sleep outside than be in that damned house." Naruto said lowly, looking back to glare at said house. "Hate that place, I'll tell ya."

"It looks nice from here."

Naruto chuckled. "_Looks_ nice. But I feel like cryin' every time I'm in there…People keep sayin' home is where the heart is. But what happens when your heart is ripped out in that home, huh? Nobody ever talks about that."

"That man…he did that? Ripped it out?"

"…Yeah."

And the silence was comfortable despite the admission. Winds blew through both their hair, and the crickets were finally coming out, one at a time, to chirp in the darkness.

"You..." Gaara began, surprisingly the one to break the silence. "and that man…Was it love?" he asked, his voice almost hesitant at the word love—like he'd never used it before.

Naruto looked up, eyebrow raised at the tone. But the man wasn't really looking at him, only eyeing the metal by his feet.

"I'd like to think…" Naruto began, voice soft and floating in the night. "…that I don't love him anymore. That I'm…better than that."

Gaara stayed silent for some time. "I don't know…much about that kinda thing." His voice was as quiet as Naruto's was, as if neither of them wanted to disturb the song of the crickets. "But I find it hard to believe…that someone as nice as you… was with someone who called you the things that man did tonight at the bar."

A small laugh was startled out of Naruto. "Ha. Yeah…?" He put the bottle down. "And the funny thing is, it ain't like he changed or nothin'. Sasuke was always like that. Hmmph." His laughter turned into soft little sad things. "But…I wasn't good enough for nobody till' I met him, you see." he confessed.

When Gaara didn't respond Naruto licked his lips. "Nobody remembers…but it was him who got me all these friends. He was popular 'cause his daddy was rich and his maw was pretty – even when she got sick. All the girls loved him." Naruto smiled again, and put a lock of hair behind his ear. "Nobody ever cared about little ol' me. That…scrawny little orphan boy whose parents abandoned him…Who gives a damn about anyone like that? But the day came when I punched Sasuke in his face. And I guessed everything changed after that."

Naruto paused then, to sigh heavily and look to the sky. When he looked back down he couldn't face the redhead from some reason. Talking about all of this made him self-conscious. He wondered if he should just stop.

"Why?"

Naruto looked up, blinking. "Why? Oh. Punchin' Sasuke? I dunno." He admitted softly. "Don't remember…Probably 'cause he was such an annoyin' show off. Maybe he said somethin' I didn't like…We butted heads a lot after that. It was like…a huge rivalry, ha. Everyone knew my name then. Uzumaki Naruto, troublemaker who wouldn't leave the precious Uchiha the fuck alone. Started actually makin' some friends though. With people who like…hated Sasuke the way I thought I did. Kiba…Chouji…Shika…" Naruto smiled nostalgically.

"But time passed and Sasuke and I…found ourselves alone a lot. Started sharin' secrets. I knew about his family and he knew about my _lack_ there of. I…I guess I fell in love with him along the line." Naruto exhaled shakily and gave Gaara an apologetic smile. "I don't even know why I'm bein' emotional right now. But…I feel so pathetic thinkin' about it. And when Sasuke kissed me for the first time – and we weren't even _drunk_ – I don't know why but it was like the happiest moment in my life." Naruto laughed then, and he could feel chunks of his heart breaking as he did.

"It was weird – for me." he continued, despite the fact. "Feelin' like somebody accepted me for the first time. Feelin' like I was worth it to somebody. And Sasuke wasn't a pussy when it came to tellin' people about us, either. He had a fuck-all attitude about the whole thing. Us against _them_. Even when shit got pretty bad between us and the town-folk he stayed with me. So you could imagine," Naruto sucked his teeth. "You could imagine I thought we was gonna last…. Stupid, I know. And it did last a while…that feelin'. But Sasuke started applyin' to college. I didn't think he would since he'd held it off for four damn years, but that's what he wanted to do." Naruto shrugged. "I told him he could go anywhere, that I'd just do whatever he needed me to do. But he started gettin' all secretive in spite of my support. Stopped talkin' me. Didn't even tell me why.

"And _Kakashi_," he said, looking up suddenly. He still didn't like the way the man's name felt around his mouth after all these years. "Kakashi used to be _real nice_. He likes men too even though he tries to hide it – and he was there for me and Sasuke when we was havin' problems. But after a while he stopped bein' there for _me_. He always wanted to fuckin' see Sasuke." Naruto couldn't keep the anger from his voice. "Anyway next thing I know, I get a note and Sasuke's gone. Went to the city. To fulfill his dreams. Said I would only get in the way." Naruto picked up the bottle next to him and took a swig before he handed it over. He'd said the last part off-handedly, as if it didn't bother him anymore.

Gaara took the bottle but didn't drink. "He left you."

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah, he left. And you know what? _Good_. After tonight I don't even know why I was with the bastard. But forget all that sad stuff." He declared loudly. "Tell me something, Gaara. Somethin' about you. Somethin' with a happy endin'." He laughed nervously. "Sorry for makin' the mood all sour."

"…I don't have stories with happy endings..." Gaara replied quietly. "And that man did you wrong. By abandonin' you."

Naruto bit his lip. "Well maybe I deserved to be abandoned." He replied. He looked at the untouched bottle in his companion's hand, and tapped the metal of the truck to keep occupied.

"Someone like you don't deserve to be abandoned."

The blonde ducked his head. Gaara was only trying to be nice, he knew. "Someone like me…" he repeated with a murmur. "And what do you know about someone like me, huh?" he asked softly, with half-lidded eyes.

Gaara hesitated. When he opened his mouth to retort, Naruto interrupted him.

"My partner remembered your bounty." He said suddenly, desperately trying to change the subject. "Said it was over ten thousand."

Gaara blinked, caught off guard, before his eyes dimmed, and he shifted. "It was twelve thousand."

Naruto paused in his reaching for the bottle and stared at Gaara. "That's a lot of money for one man." He whispered. "What d'you do? Rob a train car and kill everyone inside?"

"…"

"It got anythin' to with you "not bein' as nice as I think you are"?" he asked softly.

Gaara lowered his eyes. "You don't know the things I've done." he murmured. "But that bounty ain't got nothin' to do with the bad part of me."

Naruto swallowed. Gaara wasn't looking at him, instead eyeing the metal of his truck very seriously. He'd never seen the man look this off-standish. He tried to cut a bit of the tension with a soft laugh. "If that bounty ain't got nothin' to do with that then what d'you do?"

Gaara raised his eyes to look at the blonde. They were expressionless, but Naruto thought he was wondering why he hadn't backed off yet. "I killed the mayor of my town."

The blonde blinked.

That was…

"Why?" He imagined what it would be like if someone had killed Sarutobi.

"'Cause he was fuckin' my sister."

"…Oh." Naruto hadn't been expecting that. "He…he didn't treat her right?" he asked cautiously. He'd known plenty of over protective family members in his day.

"He was her father."

Naruto stilled. _What_?

He was her father.

His _sister's_ father.

Therefore…his father?

"He…he your father too?"

"Was." Gaara answered curtly. "But dead now. The way he should be."

Naruto swallowed. So Gaara was a murderer after all. He'd known all along but…it felt real now. And a mayor who would have sex with his own daughter? Hell, Naruto would have murdered him too. But still…Naruto didn't think he'd ever have a drink with a murderer…especially in his own truck. Despite everything he suddenly felt the need to be slightly more cautious around the man. "So…when you killed your father…you ran?"

"No."

"Then why the bounty on your head?"

Gaara seemed to hesitate. "I just…pretended to run. So they could set the bounty. Was hopin' it would be enough to get my sister back on her feet." Gaara glared at the ground. "She wasn't right with my father around and she became worse when he – died. Was gonna let them set the bounty so I could go back home and have my sister bring me to the police so she could collect the money. Start a new life."

Naruto felt his chest press on his heart. Who was this man to say he wasn't as nice as Naruto thought he was? Letting a bounty fall on his head just so he could give the money to his sister? It was almost poetic.

"Did it work?" he had to ask.

"…I was gone a few months. When I came back she'd already hung herself."

"Wh—" Naruto nearly choked. "She…Oh, _Gaara_." he sympathized. "I'm so sorry."

"She…thought I'd abandoned her."

"Fuckin' hell, Gaara. " Naruto's voice broke. "You let me talk about my stupid problems when you've—"

"Your problems ain't stupid." Gaara interrupted, looking up and staring at the blonde. "Nothin' about you is stupid." He shifted then, looking a little tired and almost annoyed. "Now…I've enjoyed your hospitality. But I'd much like to be on my way now—" he was standing up on the truck.

"Huh? Wait. Gaara, hold on." Naruto pleaded, standing too. He put a hand on Gaara's arm. "Stay. Stay with me."

The redhead stared down at him.

Naruto offered a smile. "The house is right here. We can go to work together in the morning. I won't bother you for the rest of the night if that's what you're—"

"It ain't that."

"Then what's the problem?"

The taller man hesitated. "Don't wanna…_impose_." He confessed finally. "Don't have anythin' extra with me…"

"Aww, come on, now." The blonde chided, laughing. He was glad he could cut a bit of the tension with the sound. "Let me take care of you tonight. Least I could do, since you kept me company all night."

Gaara looked like he wanted to say something, but he sighed instead. "I should be thankin' you…" he murmured.

"Yeah, well thanks can go all around. So will you stay?"

Gaara looked warily down at the blonde.

Naruto put his hands to together and made his eyes big and wide in his plea.

Gaara gave up before Naruto could even go full force. "I 'spose."

The blonde beamed, surprised that the redhead was so easy to convince. "You 'sposed right. Now come on."

He hopped out of the truck with ease, and made his way towards the house. He heard Gaara follow behind him, steps less rushed than his were. When he reached the door he found it open, which was no surprise. Sasuke didn't have keys so he wouldn't have been able to lock it behind him, and Naruto rarely locked his door anyway.

The thought of the brunette didn't anger him as horribly as it would have five minutes ago. Who cared about petty little love quarrels when the man behind him was going through something much worse. A guilt that was probably eating him inside.

Naruto turned around to give Gaara a weak smile before he opened the door. "Come on in. Welcome to my humble abode." He gestured for the man to step in before him.

Gaara paused like he was surprised he was allowed to go in first, before he finally did as he was told.

"Don't mind the…mess." Naruto mumbled, glaring at the mess Sasuke made on the coffee table and couch. He remembered Sasuke being quite the neat-freak back in the day so the fact that he would disrespect Naruto's home by leaving it in such a state made something prickle in the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry you gotta see the house like this." Gaara was in front of him and looking from left to right. Naruto couldn't tell what he was thinking from his body language.

"It's nice."

Naruto's following laugh sounded like a relieved exhale. "Yeah? But all the dust—"

As if on cue, the man in front of him sneezed.

"Aww, shit." Naruto went in front of the redhead, hands raised in apology. Gaara only looked a little ruffled, but his eyes were dim as if he was expecting another sneeze.

"I'll get you a tissue." The blonde declared, going into the kitchen. It was so embarrassing, he realized, to have such a messy and dusty house when he had a guest.

"It's fine." Gaara said. His voice was low but clear, so maybe he wasn't going to sneeze again.

"Yeah, well I'm gettin' you a tissue anyway." Naruto mumbled, looking around his cabinets for said tissue. He knew he had a box of them somewhere. He closed one cabinet and went back to the counter, rummaging a bit when he heard a chink.

"You dropped somethin'."

Naruto waved a disregarding hand. "I'll pick it up later," he said distractedly, squinting. Ah, _there_ was the tissue. Behind the wooden knife stand.

"Here."

Naruto jumped, startled when Gaara was suddenly next to him. The man took a step back, realizing their sudden closeness. "Sorry."

"Ha – Naw, i-it's okay." The blonde eyed the thing Gaara was extending towards him. It was the engagement ring Sasuke had given back to him the other night. It must have been what fell. He sighed a little, but couldn't find it in himself to reach for it. "Oh. That thing. It's garbage."

Gaara stared at him, then looked at the ring.

Naruto handed him a tissue. "I'm serious. Throw it away. Or you could pawn it if you like. It was expensive once upon a time so I figure they'd give you a lot for it."

Gaara eyed the ring a little. "Pawn it." He repeated lightly.

"Yeah. Pawn shop's in Gracetown. The owners are freaks so they'd probably go hog crazy for some of that steel."

Gaara looked at him then at the ring again. "Okay."

To Naruto's surprise, the redhead put it on.

The blonde couldn't help but choke a little. "Ha…u-uh…why the ring finger?" he asked warily. It was strange seeing the ring like that. On a different man's hand.

"Middle finger too big." Gaara replied simply.

"Middle finger too…" Naruto laughed a little. "Oh. M-makes sense, I guess." The smile he offered was a little forced. He was hoping Gaara would put it in his pocket so he wouldn't have to see it. But the man would pawn it soon enough so he wouldn't have to worry about seeing it much longer.

"Let me show you to your room." he said suddenly, putting his hands together. "It's dusty but the bed's like heaven if you ask me." he gave a thumbs up. "You'll sleep like a baby in it. And I'll wake you in time to get ready for work. Promise."

Gaara nodded at him, looking a little out of place. "You don't gotta worry about me wakin' up in time…" he murmured.

"But I want to."

The redhead stared down at him. "Okay."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You know for an outlaw you sure give in easily." He joked, punching the man's arm lightly.

Gaara's faint eyebrows rose a little, but he offered no rebuttal, only proving the blonde's point.

Naruto put the knuckle of his index finger in his mouth, lest he laughed too loud. He gave his companion a knowing look. Gaara only lowered his eyes.

"Ha, come on." The host said, sparing his guest. "Let's get you upstairs."

* * *

It was 6:00am when Sasuke was pulling up behind Naruto's truck in front of the blonde's house. He sighed in relief when he saw that the vehicle was still there.

He'd overslept. Most of the night had been with him moaning and tossing because of how incredibly painful the swelling of his eye was. Naruto had got him good. But it seemed he'd woken up just in time. He'd tried to wake Kakashi, but the man wouldn't even budge. So he'd taken it upon himself to just take the man's car and drive to Naruto's place himself.

He got out of the (stolen) vehicle now, and made his way to the front door. It was wide open this time, and the brunette raised his eyebrows at that, before cautiously stepping inside the house.

He paused.

Clean.

The house was clean.

Or at least – the living room.

Someone had accumulated all the dust and put it in an area behind the couch, and someone had ruthlessly wiped down every surface until it shone.

That person was coming down the stairs, forehead sweating with a broom and dustpan in each hand.

"Naruto."

The blonde started, gasping and pausing suddenly on the stairs. Blue eyes went over to the brunette who stood in the doorway. He exhaled heavily, eyes rolling. "Damn it, Sasuke; you scared me." he said, coming down and going about whatever he'd been doing. He went behind the couch and gathered the dust into the dust pan.

"Why are you cleaning?"

Naruto didn't pause in what he was doing. When the dustpan was filled he straightened his back and went to the trashcan in the kitchen. "'Cause this house is a God damned mess, that's why." He replied, disregarding.

"But you've never cleaned before." Sasuke countered, annoyed for a reason he didn't understand. "Even when we were together."

Naruto visibly paused in emptying the dust into the trash, before he seemed to pull himself together and set the broom and dustpan aside. He took off the strange white apron like thing he had and set it on the kitchen counter. He then turned on the kitchen sink and washed his dirty hands and sweating face with the water.

Sasuke sighed when he realized the blonde was ignoring him. "Listen – Naruto…"

"I'll be headin' to work in a minute." Naruto interrupted going back into the living room. He had a small towel in his hand and was wiping his hands and face. He looked around the living room as he did, inspecting it. Sasuke saw that the papers and things he'd had scattered around the area were stacked neatly on the coffee table now, and the suitcase he'd brought stood neatly next to the loveseat. "Your eye looks bad so I'll drive you to the doctor's—"

"_Naruto_." Sasuke growled, incredulous. "We're not doing that again."

His ex blinked. "Doin' what again?"

"We're not going to pretend nothing happened last night."

Naruto paused, before something like a disbelieving grin appeared on his mouth and he lowered his head. "Okay then. Have it your way." He murmured.

"I'm not trying to start trouble." The brunette insisted, walking up a bit, but the couch and coffee table separated them. "Last night…I…I said some things."

Naruto's face was closed now, and he wouldn't look at Sasuke. He only continued to wipe his already dry hands with the towel.

"I wanted to say that I was sorry." Sasuke confessed finally. "I'm sorry, all right? I shouldn't have confronted you. Not like that."

Naruto's solemn look never left his face, so the half smile that appeared on his lips was almost heartbreaking. "You're sorry." He repeated, voice flat.

"_Yes_." Sasuke insisted. "I am. I was…drunk."

Naruto's laugh would have sounded mocking if it weren't for the sadness in his eyes. "Drunk, huh? Well I was drunk too but I didn't go around makin' people feel like shit—"

"Look," the taller man interrupted, already annoyed that this was going to take more effort than he thought. "You know how I am. You know that apologies aren't easy for me. Just accept it, please."

Naruto looked away, and his eyes went to the ceiling before it went to the floor again. The emotions he was trying to hide were clear on his face. The painful nostalgia. The longing. The sadness. No doubt he was having memories of just _how_ difficult it was for Sasuke to say sorry.

"You know I'm being genuine when I say this, Narut—"

"Do I?" the blonde interrupted, voice on the offensive, and raising an eyebrow at his ex. "_Do_ I, Sasuke?"

"Yes, you do. You know I mean it. I'm sorry for screaming at you like I did. I know you've been having…a hard time." Sasuke hesitated. "I heard you last night. Screaming about all the people who've abandoned and failed you—"

"Sasuke, _please_," Naruto began, sounding tired and raising a hand. "Just stop. None of that matters. My life ain't got nothin' to do with that, and has nothin' to do with you. Anymore. Soon as this funeral is over I'm hopin' you walk out that door and I never see you again, so just—"

"You don't mean that."

Naruto paused, eyes widening a bit. Sasuke wasn't prepared for the anger he saw in them a moment later. "Then what _do_ I mean, Sasuke? _Huh_? Tell me that the fuck I mean, 'cause it seems like everyone in this God damned town thinks they know me better than I fuckin' know myself—!"

"Naruto?"

Sasuke started, and looked at the stairs. His eyes went wide at the man he saw walking down.

It was the redhead from last night. He wore a button down that Sasuke recognized as Naruto's. It was much too small for the man.

"You…you brought him _home_ with you?" he asked, disbelieving. And he didn't want to understand the feeling that pulled at his intestines just then. He almost felt like he wanted to vomit.

"Sasuke—"

"Did you sleep with him?" Sasuke interrupted, turning to blonde accusingly.

"_Sasuke_." Naruto hissed, eyes wide. "Nobody slept with anybody – " he shook his head. "And why the hell am I even explainin' anythin' to you? You don't got a right to know where I've been or what I've been doin—"

"I'm not going to stay and pay three thousand dollars in a place I'm not even welcome if you're going to bring _men_ into—!"

"Then _LEAVE_!" Naruto screamed suddenly, voice so loud it seemed to shake the very walls. "It ain't free and you ain't welcome so why the hell you still here, huh, Sasuke?! What the hell is your deal?!" he asked, and his voice was almost desperate. His anger was so sudden that the brunet was caught off guard. "You act like you got some kinda say in all of this. You don't. I ain't makin' it hard for you for no reason. I want you _gone_."

Sasuke clenched and unclenched his fists. He felt his face heat up with his emotions, and the words he said next were clipped. "I don't want to leave."

Naruto's exhale was exasperated. "I don't _understand_ you." His voice broke a little as it ended with that huff. He was breathing hard, like he'd just ran a marathon. His eyes stared wide and accusing at the brunette.

Sasuke was breathing hard too, if only because his emotions were reaching that high again. He had to work his mouth for a while before he could say anything. "You know why I'm here." He whispered.

A strange short burst of incredulous, sad laughter left the blonde's lift. "What? You gonna say you still love me, or soemthin'?" he asked bitterly.

Sasuke clenched his fists. Half of him screamed at his mouth to deny it, _deny_ it. But was there even a point in lying now? "You still love me too." he accused softly, and his voice was a breath.

Blue, angered eyes softened then, in surprise. Naruto's mouth twitched like it wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. Finally, he took a step back, blinking rapidly at anything but Sasuke's face. His face tightened into a strange grimace and he visibly swallowed. "You take yourself to the doctor." he whispered breathlessly, making his way to the door.

Sasuke felt like someone had suddenly shut off the lights in his head. "_Naruto_—" he began, but the blonde was already out the door, slamming it behind him.

"Naruto!"

He was about to follow, when he remembered his company. He turned back to the redhead, who was looking at him with eyes so passionless they looked like they were painted on. "What the fuck are you looking at?" he hissed.

Was this the type Naruto was into now? he thought, glaring. Tall and murderous looking? No doubt a fucking foreigner.

The redhead ignored his question and made his way towards the door.

Sasuke clenched his teeth after him. "What are you his _Beau_?" he spat as he followed the man with his eyes. "His fucking squeeze to dangle in my face, a piece of ass he'll feed off until he finds another damn miner he can fuck?"

The man paused with a hand on the doorknob. Sasuke couldn't see his eyes but his shoulders seemed to tighten somehow. "I don't understand…" the man began, and his voice was low and deeper than Sasuke remembered. "what he saw in you." he finished lightly, before he opened the door.

"Wha—"

But the door was already closing behind the redhead.

He heard the sound of a truck roaring and driving away.

Sasuke wanted to scream.

* * *

End of Chapter

**Authors Notes:**

Hope you liked it! In the process of writing for **LFFB** I ended up mapping out the chapter, so I just wrote it to get it out of the way.

Hmm, questions:

**1**. **Should I cut Sasuke some slack?**

**2. Is it believable that Gaara would be so...accepting of Naruto? Considering his background and his default-heterosexuality?**

Anyway, until next time. I'll be working on LFFB in the meantime - it's coming along, so no worries!

P.S: Sorry for any grammatical errors; I know they're in there!


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